Ishikawa was the gateway to the continent in ancient times, a ""country of peasants"" for a time, then prospered as a castle town of Kaga Hyakumangoku, and in modern times, it was a bustling center of trade with the Kitamae-bune (Kitamaebune), and an academic capital with the Daishi High School. The history and traditions of Kaga Hyakumangoku are also alive in Kaga cuisine using fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, delicious and limpid water from the Hakusan Mountains, and abundant ingredients, as well as in the use of tableware. There are many hot springs in Ishikawa Prefecture, including Wajima, Wakura, Yuwaku, Tatsuguchi, Awazu, Katayamazu, Yamashiro, and Yamanaka Onsen, which offer a variety of attractions such as food, culture, and tradition. Wajima-nuri, Kutani ware, and Kaga yuzen are all gems produced by the skills of outstanding craftspeople. There are a total of 36 traditional crafts in Ishikawa Prefecture, including 10 nationally designated, 6 prefectural, and 20 rare traditional crafts. Among them, gold leaf is now used not only in crafts, but also in foods, cosmetics, etc. Recently, demand for gold leaf as one of the materials to expand new expressive power in architecture and interior design has been increasing.