July–September 2024
2024 is the first year I’m in Japan during summer. I always scheduled previous visits for cooler seasons like spring and late autumn/winter. And after 3 months of 30+ degree weather at high levels of humidity, I’m glad I did so. But, especially for those living in Ishikawa Prefecture, there are positive aspects too. After the end of the rainy season towards July, there are more sunny days than during any other time of the year. With the long coastline at the Sea of Japan, it’s evident where I’m spending most of my weekends.
A birthday picnic party at Kenmin Seaside Park with a multinational guest list and a sunset swim shows me an unexpected side of life in Kanazawa. I return to the southern beach, a few times by bicycle, since in the Japanese countryside public transportation is limited. This is one of the reasons why the car beaches in Uchinada and Chirihama Nagisa Driveway are so popular. Uchinada beach is a great place in proximity to Kanazawa City to watch surfers catch low waves and families enjoying their weekends with a swim.
To go to Chirihama, I rent a car with my co-worker and friend Marina. I drive us out of the city and up towards Noto. We stop at Yahata’s Sushiben on the way to buy some bento lunch and then head for the coastal road. Once we reach the beach driveway, Marina takes over the wheel to practice driving. I watch the parked cars and families playing in the waves pass by from the passenger seat. We find a convenient place to park our car in the northern area of the 8.5 km stretch and quickly set up our beach towels. After finishing the delicious bento lunch, we can’t wait to jump into the cool water. We swim up and down for about 2 hours.
Exhausted, the question of where to shower comes up. The answer is easy: there is an Onsen hotel just behind the dunes. So we pack up our belongings and treat ourselves to a soak in the hot spring. Very relaxed and feeling squeaky clean, we return to the car about an hour later. Our last item on the list of places to explore is a sunflower field in Tsubata. As we drive back down Nagisa Driveway, the sun slowly starts to set on the horizon. Stepping on the gas, we make it just in time to see the last sun rays illuminate the blooming flowers. Happy, but a little tired, we return the car at the rental shop close to the station before indulging in a conveyor belt sushi dinner at Kirari.
Another day trip leads Marina and me to the neighboring Toyama prefecture. Once again we rent a car and drive north. This time the destination is the beach town of Himi. Here we find a car park close to the swimming area. Conveniently, there is also a highly-rated curry restaurant nearby. So first we have lunch and then venture out to the small platform in the shallow water. We play among the locals for a while before continuing on to our next stop: Uozu. There, the holy trinity of Japanese summer festivals occurs on 1 night in August. A music festival (Jazz in this case), followed by a large firework (Hanabi), and last but not least a Matsuri in honor of a local shrine.
During the afternoon, we listen to Jazz while trying to keep cool with iced drinks and umbrellas. For dinner, we queue at a Takoyaki food truck and then try to find a comfortable spot in the shade from where we can see the stage and the sea. Accidentally, we end up sitting in the front row for the huge Hanabi. The impressive fireworks are accompanied by live music. The crowd is interesting, since half of the spectators are dressed in Yukata and clearly came for the Hanabi, while the music fans are starting to loosen up after an afternoon of Jazz and alcohol. Still facing a 2 hour drive back to Kanazawa, Marina and I only get a quick glimpse of the large floats that are part of the town’s famous Matsuri.
However, there are many Matsuris held all over Japan during the summer vacation in August. On a Friday morning, I head out towards the suburbs where Marina’s grandma lives. There, the neighbourhoods come together for parades of Yatai floats and purifying rituals at the local shrine. During the afternoon, young men dress up in traditional attire of protective spirits and walk from house to house to bless the inhabitants for the upcoming year.
On the same weekend, there is also the main Hanabi held in Kanazawa city. In cycling distance from my house, half of the city gathers at Saigawa River. Many people dress up in Yukata and everyone looks forward to a cold beer and some Yaki Soba from the food stalls. After queueing for a bit, my friends and I find a spot under a tree, from where we watch the pretty fireworks. The festivities make me forget the almost unbearable heat for a split second. But on the way back home, I really regret my decision to opt for the bicycle instead of the bus.
The beginning of September usually brings cooler temperatures, at the price of thyphoons. However, this year, the thermostat stays above 30 degrees Celsius. While a few tropical storms hit the Japanese mainland, none of them made it to the coast of the Sea of Japan. In Ishikawa, we witness spontaneous nightly rainfalls and a few windy hours, but that is it. Increasingly frustrated with the heat, I turn to a medicine I first discovered in Peru, but since long forgot about: Shaved Ice. In Japan, it’s known as Kakigori and is sold at pop-up food stalls during summer.
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