Real gold-gilded kura!

“Kura” (in japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

Kanazawa, a City replete with history and things of the past offered me quite sights when I stayed there beginning of this week!

This old kura whose wall are entirely gilded with real gold leaves could be seen only from the inside garden of a famous shop specializing in gold leaf accessories!

Not an easy picture to take at any time of the day or night!

The walls inside were also completely gilded in pure gold!
Of visitors are expressly requested not to touch the walls!

I couldn’t guess at first the purpose of this splendid kura restored to its full splendor!

Such a widow awning made of fired tiles is rarely seen!

From the opposite side.
Notice the “namako” pattern on the lower part of the wall!

The roof peak decoration gave me an inkling of what its real use was!

Looking at the side entrance I hadn’t noticed because of the fence wall I discovered its religious vocation!

A beautiful “mon” in the middle of another extravagant fired tile awning!

It was sheltering a praying wheel!

I belatedly discovered this kura inside “The Site of Samurai House” (aricle coming soon!)!

Beautifully restored, which was normal as it is part of a whole museum complex!

Th windows have actually been boarded up from the inside!

Very solid-looking architecture!

No, this is not a ghost light, but the reflection of lantern!

The reflection from another angle!

I suspect this kura has been turned into a direct access annex of the neighboring ancient house!

A sneak view of the side wall!

The door has been replaced with the wall but it was apparently boarded up from the inside!

But the lower wall base gives a clear indication its true origin!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City