Last Trip, Japan - First Night In Kanazawa

Hey, has anybody noticed that the Orlando Travel Bureau has been using the song "Alright" by Supergrass in their commercial? The band must be making some pretty sweet bank in royalties! No wonder they officially added Rob Coombes (Gaz's brother) to the band's lineup - they can finally afford it! By the way, when the hell is "Diamond Hoo Ha" being released domestically here in the U.S.? It's really obnoxious that it has been released only on import first with no indication of the U.S. release date. They did this back in 2005 with 'Road To Rouen' also.

Anyway ... back to my travelogue on Kanazawa. So after arriving and checking into my in-laws' time share, Tokyu Big Week, we headed out to an awesome izakaya. Kanazawa's specialties include the jumbo shrimp as well as genge, a mean-looking little dried fish with tiny, sharp teeth that you cook over a small charcoal grill. You consume the entire fish, head, fins, tail, and all, just like shishamo. Sounds crazy, but it's good eatin'! Afterward, we went out with Akemi's parents for cocktails at a tiny bar/cafe that her dad discovered on a previous trip there. It was an "American" (or more specifically, West coast)-themed cafe, going by the decor. It is always amazing to see the Japanese take on American and European culture, and how it gets moulded to suit their tastes. The Japanese representation of American culture is always very nostalgic and romantic with a pure and vintage feel to it (think - classic cars, Zippo lighters, James Dean, Route 66/Pacific Coast Highway, classic 60s/70s rock). I always imagine that when Japanese people visit the U.S. for the first time, their image is totally shattered by the reality of our crap culture here, with people that don't take any personal pride in their self-image (i.e. the obesity epidemic here), style/fashion, and overall attitude. 'Nough with the soapboxing...here's some pics. Note the incredible architecture at the entrance of Kanazawa Station.