NIKON Z 8 (41mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO720)
Coming from Kyoto Kanazawa seems almost empty. Of course it is not. There are plenty of people but far less tourists.
There was a temple close to our hotel which we visited right before dinner and as you can see in those images it wasn’t really busy at all. The cold weather helped too I guess. In Osaka and Kyoto we had very warm weather but that changed as soon as we entered the western coast of Japan. From almost 18 degrees Celsius to close to zero. No wonder we had a temperature shock.
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec, ISO400)
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/2, 1/250 sec, ISO400)
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/2, 1/250 sec, ISO220)
I love temples even though they are not part of my culture. They have a certain kind of energy. I think I highlighted that already on my blog after my first trip to Asia but I need to tell it again. I grew up as a Catholic. Dark, cold, intimidating churches and cathedrals with Jesus suffering on the cross with a crown made of thorns. All temples I have visited so far no matter if Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim have a different vibe. Shinto shrines too even though they are less colorful. Only in the Christian culture the suffering of our redeemer is front and center.
Even though I was raised catholic I’m not a religious person anymore. I still follow most of the rules as I think this is what every decent person should do. I just don’t need a religion for that. Religion has done and still causes a lot of suffering and harm. People need something to believe but just imagine a world without religion or with just one believe everybody shares. The majority of conflicts in the world would be gone.
Back to the temple: I love those wooden boards even though I can’t read what they say. I love the idea that you put down your wishes are your gratitude and leave it there. It’s a very beautiful thing.
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO1800)
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO2800)
NIKON Z 8 (26mm, f/4, 1/50 sec, ISO2500)
NIKON Z 8 (26mm, f/4, 1/50 sec, ISO1100)
NIKON Z 8 (26mm, f/4, 1/100 sec, ISO1250)
We also walked the beautiful garden next to the temple but the light and the temperature dropped quickly. Time to head back to find a restaurant close to our hotel.
On paper the Nikon Z 40/2 is the weakest among the lenses I took to Japan but in reality it is a great lens. I used it for only 10% of my shots but whenever I did I just loved the result. This is not a very sharp lens wide open and up close but I just love the way it renders the image. I learned to appreciate those simpler designs compared to lenses which have a lot of lenses and lens groups. Of course there are exceptions. At the very top those are excellent like the Z 14-4/2.8 S but it is amazing what can be achieved with a very simple lens design. The Fuji XF 35/1.4 R is a perfect example of that. The Nikon Z 40/2 is not like that but it goes in that direction. The Z26/2.8 has it in my opinion. Those two have become my favorites when I want to go light.
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec, ISO200)
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO280)
NIKON Z 8 (40mm, f/2, 1/250 sec, ISO800)
Finally we found a small bar style restaurant close to our hotel. No english menu or sign outside but I’m glad we stepped in anyway. No english menu in the restaurant too but they had a Japanese website and thanks to google translate we were able to order. The very nice waiter helped me with that because I never used this feature on my phone. I guess I’m getting old quicker than I like.
Other tourists entered in the front of the restaurant but quickly rushed out when they didn’t find an english menu. Top tip: just wait a little longer. There is a chance that the staff will help you.
First it was Suntory time! Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of my food. I had plenty of good snacks. Mostly freshly grilled fish and shrimp and there was also some chicken and mushrooms for my wife. It was more like an Izakaya where the focus is on drinking but the food was excellent. That’s why we went there again on our last night in Kanazawa.
I also had a kind of nice “conversation” with the two gentlemen on my left. Of course they didn’t speak a single word of English but after I took their photograph with their camera they offered us Sake. You can see them on the last image that I took before I left the restaurant. What a nice place! This is something I already learned on my business trips. Don’t be afraid to enter a restaurant that is not tailored to serve tourists. Times have changed. We all have smartphones now so there is no need to depend on english menus, iPads or fake food to be able to order what you like.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (5.1mm, f/1.6, 1/120 sec, ISO125)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (5.1mm, f/1.6, 1/60 sec, ISO125)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (5.1mm, f/1.6, 1/60 sec, ISO160)
While waiting for my wife I snapped a quick shot of the entrance but thanks to my pictures I will have no problem to find this place again should I come to Kanazawa again in the future. It is very convenient that the precise location is stored together with your picture. So don’t forget to take a picture with your smartphone in case you plan to revisit a place in the future.
After we returned to the hotel it was time for some Japanese TV. I think many channels are surprisingly trashy but you can’t argue that it is very colorful.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (5.1mm, f/1.6, 1/60 sec, ISO100)