Kanazawa, Japan

Pictures from Kanazawa, Japan; capital of Ishikawa Prefecture. The city served as one of Japan's most important cities during the Edo period, and was the home to generations of the powerful Maeda samurai family. The castle, steadily improved and expanded over several hundred years, was built between two major rivers in order to be more easily defended. Castle life gave rise to a vibrant artisanal class and a powerful merchant class, with Kanazawa being home to two of only a handful of remaining Geisha districts in Japan. Many Edo-period structures remain, as the city was spared the onslaught of American bombers during the Pacific War, though the castle was dismantled in order to make way for a university. The university was relocated, and the castle is under reconstruction. Kanazawa is home to Kenrokuen, one of the three most important gardens in Japan.