Journeys in photographs and words.

A little of each town’s story

Kanazawa, Ishikawa

Kaga vegetables

From: Winter in Kanazawa, from a townhouse kitchen

Gensuke daikon with a Kaga vegetable label, and lotus root
Gensuke daikon with a Kaga vegetable label, and lotus root

Fifteen traditional vegetables of Kanazawa, certified as "vegetables grown since before 1945 and still grown mainly in Kanazawa." They include Gensuke daikon, Kaga lotus root and sweet potato. The sweet potatoes are grown mostly in the sand dunes of Awagasaki and Gorojima, and are known as Gorojima Kintoki after the growing area. At the greengrocer in Omicho Market, the label read "Uchiki Gensuke daikon."

Sources: www4.city.kanazawa.lg.jp

This moment in the journey

Kaga vegetables and nodoguro

Kanazawa's own Kaga vegetables can be bought here too. At a greengrocer's, Gensuke daikon and lotus root stood with their labels, next to sweet potatoes marked Gorojima Kintoki. I picked out some Kaga vegetables and took them from the shopkeeper.

And then, Kanazawa's treasure from the sea: nodoguro. The cases at a dried-fish shop were lined with overnight-dried nodoguro from Ishikawa. I was planning to make a certain dish with this fish.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:58

Read this scene in the full journey

Sweet potatoes labeled Gorojima Kintoki
Sweet potatoes labeled Gorojima Kintoki
Taking vegetables from the greengrocer
Taking vegetables from the greengrocer
A produce stand with tomatoes, daikon and broccoli
A produce stand with tomatoes, daikon and broccoli
Rows of overnight-dried nodoguro
Rows of overnight-dried nodoguro
Picking up a pack of nodoguro from Ishikawa
Picking up a pack of nodoguro from Ishikawa
Shopping at a dried-fish shop
Shopping at a dried-fish shop
Shoppers coming and going in the market
Shoppers coming and going in the market
A narrow passage at the back of the market
A narrow passage at the back of the market