A sensible start today as our train departed at 10.30 to Kanazawa a large city on the west coast. Therefore we all had time for a relaxing dip in the hot stone communal bath before purchasing breakfast in the bakeries and mini marts by the station. Thankfully there is enough in the shops that looks familiar for us to buy.
A 90 minute journey down the mountain passing an awful lot of snow covering the fields ,trees and houses with the mountains shrouded in cloud . We follow a river with yet more hydroelectric dams,the water hurtling towards the sea with all the rain water and snow melt. Suddenly as we exit a tunnel we are down on the coastal plane and no sign of snow. Instead water filled paddies and houses built slightly higher than normal stretch for miles until we arrive at a new bullet train line for the final 20 minutes to Kanazawa. Our hotel is right by the brand new futuristic railway and shopping complex opened 5 days ago. For lunch we go to a sushi train restaurant in the station appropriately ( £8 a head ) and after we walk to have a look at the vast covered market that specialises in shellfish as we are so close to the sea. A giant crab could be had for £60 !
For our evening meal our tour guide took us to a local restaurant for a local delicacy a rice stuffed omelette with a choice of sauces poured over it,Kate had a salad and Sebastian did the honourable thing and had one with Parma ham,rocket and Italian pasta sauce on the basis that if it were deconstructed it wouldn't look wrong.