Azure Travelers Kanazawa: The Meetup and Five Days Around Hokuriku

On May 16, 2026, we held the ninth Azure Travelers meetup, our “Trip to Kanazawa.” The venue was IT Business Plaza Musashi in Kanazawa.

I did not speak this time, instead focusing on everything that had to happen behind the scenes. I also used Kanazawa as a base to visit Fukui and Toyama before and after the meetup. This is my record of the event, the places I saw, and everything I ate around Hokuriku.

Table of Contents

• The Meetup
  • About the Meetup
  • The Day of the Event
  • Next Stop: Wakayama
• The Trip
  • May 13
  • May 14
  • May 15
  • May 16
  • May 17
• Wrapping Up

The Meetup

About the Meetup

Azure Travelers is a community built around a simple idea: visit different parts of Japan and have fun learning alongside the local community. We started in Sapporo in January 2024, then traveled to Kobe, Yamagata, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Ehime, Tokyo, and Sendai. Kanazawa became our ninth destination.

9th Azure Travelers Meetup: Trip to Kanazawa with IT Business Plaza Musashi

• Date and time: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 10:30-18:00
• Venue: IT Business Plaza Musashi (14-31 Musashi-machi, Kanazawa)
• Admission: Free
• Hashtag: #AzureTravelers
• Event page: connpass

All slots for in-person attendees, lightning talks, and speakers filled up. Once again, thank you to everyone who made the trip to Kanazawa and everyone who helped us run the venue.

Posts from attendees are collected in this Posfie roundup. It is a good way to revisit the atmosphere in the room and see the sessions through each participant’s eyes.

The Day of the Event

The morning began with an introduction to the community and a live C# coding showdown. The afternoon moved through a wide range of topics, including Microsoft Foundry, Application Insights, Entra ID, Microsoft Fabric, AI agents, and Azure cost optimization. We also had lightning talks, a snack break, and our customary Azure quiz, making it another packed day from start to finish.

Event Schedule

Because Azure Travelers values the connections we make in each destination, only the two morning sessions were streamed online. The community introduction and C# live coding showdown are available in the YouTube archive.

Working Behind the Scenes

I did not give a talk at this event. I spent the day at reception, helping keep the program moving, coordinating with the venue, and taking care of the networking dinner and other operational details.

I had thought that not speaking would give me time to sit back and listen to the sessions, but event days always bring a steady stream of small things to handle. Much of that work is invisible from the audience, but keeping the venue running smoothly and making sure attendees and speakers are comfortable is an important part of organizing an event.

Next Stop: Wakayama

Azure Travelers has a tradition of choosing a future destination by rolling a giant die. We rolled it at the Kanazawa event, and Wakayama was chosen as the destination for our 11th meetup.

Nobody knows which city will be next until the die lands. That unpredictability is part of what makes Azure Travelers feel like Azure Travelers. We will announce future events on the Japan Azure Travelers connpass page.

The Trip

I arrived in Kanazawa three days before the meetup and explored the city around my work schedule. I drove to Fukui the day before the event and headed to Toyama on the final day, turning the visit into a five-day journey through all three Hokuriku prefectures.

May 13

I traveled to Kanazawa after finishing work. It was late by the time I arrived, so all I did that night was pick up some snacks and beer at a convenience store. I had a quiet drink at the hotel and called it a night, ready for the days ahead.

May 14

I spent most of the day working, but used the morning, lunch break, and evening to walk around Kanazawa.

Kanazawa Station Eki Soba Kaga Hakusan Soba | Tabelog

Breakfast was tsukimi soba and an onigiri at Kanazawa Station. There is something about eating station soba on a trip that makes it feel as though the day has truly begun in that place.

Omicho Ichiba Sushi, Main Store | Tabelog

After breakfast, I walked to Omicho Market and promptly had sushi. The seared nodoguro was especially good. Soba followed by sushi first thing in the morning may have been a bit much, but this was Kanazawa. It could not be helped.

Kanazawa Niku Shokudo, Hyakubangai Branch | Tabelog

For lunch, I went to Kanazawa Hyakubangai and had a rice bowl topped with lean beef. There was also a sushi restaurant on the same floor, where a nodoguro bowl cost more than JPY 5,000, which caught me by surprise. Go! Go! Curry was tempting too, but I chose the beef that day.

After work, I took photos as I walked to the Higashi Chaya District. There were plenty of international visitors, and swallows were darting around the eaves. Up close, they were surprisingly charming.

Oriental Brewing, Higashiyama | Tabelog

I ordered a tasting flight. The beers were fairly light overall, while the pickles I had with them were startlingly sour. It was such a comfortable place that I returned on the day of the meetup.

Miyuki, Main Store | Tabelog

As I remember it, someone at Oriental Brewing recommended that I try oden. I wandered over to Miyuki and somehow managed to get in without a reservation. I settled into the Kanazawa evening with oden and sashimi.

A French traveler sitting next to me seemed to be having trouble, so I asked if he needed help. He did not know how to ask for the check. I called a staff member over, and everything worked out. Small exchanges like that are often what stay with me after a trip.

On the way back, I stopped at another convenience store. The shelves were full of local beers, which delighted me enough to buy a few more before returning to the hotel.

May 15

I rented a car and spent the day driving from Ishikawa to Fukui.

Kahokugata Metasequoia Avenue | Official Tourism Website

My first stop was the metasequoia avenue at Kahokugata. Rows of fresh green trees lined both sides of the straight road, making for a beautiful sight. The landscape itself also caught my attention, and I found myself wondering whether the area was reclaimed land.

Uchinada Dunes | Official Uchinada Town Website

I stopped at the Uchinada Dunes simply because they had caught my eye. I was surprised that cars could drive so close to the water. The proximity of cars to the beach felt completely different from the coastlines I am used to.

Tojinbo Tower | Official Website

I visited Tojinbo Tower as part of a MISAMO stamp rally. The building was showing its age, and that made my heart skip a beat for an entirely different reason.

Tojinbo | Official Sakai City Tourism Guide

Since I had come all the way to the tower, I also walked around Tojinbo itself. Looking out over the cliffs, I could not help picturing the scene of a crime from the Japanese TV series Tuesday Suspense Theater.

Europaken, Main Store | Tabelog

I had Fukui’s famous sauce katsudon. It was delicious, but every bit as filling as it looked. I tend to pack as many local specialties as possible into a trip, and with the rest of the day’s plans still ahead, this one may have been a little too much.

Fukui Station West Exit Plaza (Dinosaur Plaza) | Official Fukui City Tourism Website

The dinosaurs in front of the station were fantastic. Fukui goes all in on dinosaurs from the moment you arrive, so one glance is enough to tell you exactly where you are.

Yamaoku Chocolate Biyori | Tabelog

From the name, I thought I was heading to a shop deep in the mountains. It turned out to be a chocolate shop in the neighborhood of Yamaoku instead. I had my first-ever pancake there. The chocolate was delicious, and I had no trouble finishing it even after the sauce katsudon.

On the way back to Kanazawa, I took a short nap and bought a few things to eat at a highway rest area. I no longer remember what I bought.

After returning the rental car, I was thirsty and spotted Pine Ame Soda in a vending machine. For a moment, I wondered, “Am I in Yamagata?”

Craft Beer Taproom BREW CLASSIC | Tabelog

I had some time before the pre-event dinner, so I stopped in. The taproom was reserved for a private event the following day, which meant this was my only chance to try it. The beer was incredibly good, and I would love to return the next time I am in Kanazawa.

Izakaya Kappo Genzaemon, Kiguramachi Branch | Tabelog

This was the venue for our pre-event dinner. We enjoyed an assortment of distinctly Kanazawa dishes, led by a lavish boat-shaped platter of sashimi. The prices were reasonable too, making it an excellent choice for the evening.

We visited several more places afterward, though I no longer remember their names. All I remember is that the ramen at the end of the night was delicious.

May 16

This was meetup day. I felt awful that morning and stayed in bed at the hotel until just before I had to meet everyone. Even after reaching the venue, I could not stop sweating, and to be honest, I was in pretty rough shape. Still, with help from the speakers and the rest of the organizing team, I made it through the day behind the scenes.

Yamasan Sushi, Main Store | Tabelog

For lunch, I had a kaisendon at Yamasan Sushi in Omicho Market. Piled high with all kinds of seafood, the bowl looked spectacular. Even while feeling unwell, I could still manage a proper bowl of Hokuriku seafood.

Hyakuman Shoten, Omicho Market Branch | Tabelog

I had a beer with lunch. The beer from Johana Beer, a brewery in Toyama, was delicious.

THE TEA SHOP CHANOMI, Omicho Market No. 2 | Tabelog

I had a drink that was something like a hojicha highball. The aroma of the tea paired beautifully with the alcohol, making it a memorable glass.

Oriental Brewing, Higashiyama | Tabelog

I returned after my first visit on May 14. With the meetup over, I could finally settle down a little over a beer.

Sumibiyakitori Ryo, Higashi Chaya District | Tabelog

This was the venue for our networking dinner. Azure Travelers has been drawing large crowds to these dinners lately, and we sometimes have to ask restaurants to adjust the headcount on the day itself. The staff accommodated us this time too, and I was truly grateful.

At the same time, changing the number of guests at the last minute puts a burden on both the restaurant and the organizers. Honestly, I wish people signing up for the dinner would be a little more responsible about confirming or canceling their attendance. I forgot to take any photos at the dinner.

Ramen Wakadaisho | Tabelog

I ended the night with menma ramen. The generous pile of menma and the broth were both delicious. Afterward, I walked back to the hotel and went straight to sleep.

May 17

I headed to Toyama on the final day. The weather was not ideal, but I made my way from the coast toward Tonami and spent the day eating and drinking right to the end.

Amaharashi Coast | Official Takaoka City Tourism Website

The air was hazy, and I could barely make out the Northern Alps. In good conditions, the Tateyama mountain range is visible across the sea, so next time I would like to return during a cooler season when the air is clear.

Kaisen Himi-mae Sushi | Tabelog

At Himi Roadside Station, I had nodoguro and a kakiage fritter made with white shrimp. Both were delicious and made for a lunch that could only have come from a trip through Hokuriku. Afterward, I walked around the observation deck near Himinoe Park.

Crossland Tower | Official Website

This was another stop on the MISAMO stamp rally. The rice paddies had just been flooded for planting, and from the observation deck, the whole town almost looked as though it were under siege by water.

Saburomaru Distillery | Official Website

I visited because the distillery has ties to the anime film Komada: A Whisky Family. The whisky had a wonderfully bold smokiness, and I also became quite fond of the plum wine I bought to take home.

HUB Toyama MAROOT | Tabelog

HUB was running a stamp rally too, so I stopped by. A soccer match happened to be on, and the place was packed with local supporters. There is something special about having a drink while watching the streetcars pass by.

Shiroebitei, Toyama Station Main Store | Tabelog

For me, this was the main event of the entire trip. The white shrimp sashimi was unbelievably good, the kind of dish that made the journey to Toyama worthwhile all by itself.

Hacchoya Eki no Kura, Toyama Station | Tabelog

I went in for just one more drink. The crab dishes were excellent.

Menya Tsukushi, Toyama Station | Tabelog

My final meal was, I think, miso ramen at the Toyama Station branch of Menya Tsukushi. It tasted close to Sapporo-style miso ramen and was absolutely delicious. I wished I had a place like it near home.

Wrapping Up

An Azure Travelers meetup gives me a reason not only to visit the host city, but also to explore the wider region around it. This time, I worked from Kanazawa while walking through its market and teahouse district, drove to Fukui, and finished by making my way to Toyama. Before I knew it, the trip had become a culinary tour of all three Hokuriku prefectures.

I felt unwell on meetup day, which made it a particularly difficult one as an organizer. Even so, the speakers, attendees, venue staff, and the team at the networking dinner all supported us, and we brought the ninth meetup to a successful close. Even when I am not the one on stage, there is something fascinating about watching an event come together from behind the scenes.

The die chose Wakayama as our next destination. Who will I meet there? What will I eat? How far out of the way will I wander? I am already looking forward to finding out.

Thank you to everyone I met in Kanazawa. See you in the next city.