Often referred to as “The Little Kyoto”, the charming city of Kanazawa often flies under the radar for Japan adventures and it should really be on one’s list. An easy shinkansen trip from Tokyo via the Hokuriku shinkansen; its perfect for a weekend away (or longer) and a wonderful alternative for those looking to explore a region rich with tradition, history, art, food and stunning landscapes.

Kanazawa is one end of “The Mitsuboshi Kaidou” (the Three Star Road) which stretches through Gokayama and the Nanto Region in Toyama, Shirakawa-go in Takayama to Matsumoto City in Nagano prefecture; this famous yet lesser travelled sightseeing route is renowned for it’s vast amount of Japanese National Treasures and World Heritage Sites.

At Kanazawa Salon in a quiet back street not far from the famed Omicho Market, one can learn how to incorporate using Koji in making healthy, traditional Japanese food with Chikako-sensei and Moe-sensei.

Koji is used in the production of sake, mirin (rice vinegar), soy sauce, amazake and miso. As Koji is fermented, it’s a great source of probiotics and in Japan is said to also  promote beautiful skin & hair growth, relieve constipation and fatigue, aid weight loss and good sleep, increase concentration and much more.