Kanazawa’s main railway station is a fascinating fusion of past and future. In front of it sits a vast traditional wooden torii gate of the sort usually found outside Japanese shrines, while the entrance to the station itself is covered by the sparkling aluminium-and-glass Motenashi Dome. Every detail has been meticulously thought through – including the dazzling platform columns which are embellished with gold leaf, one of Kanazawa’s most famous exports.