While Kanazawa (and most of Hokuriku) got its annual white Christmas, I got a set of Seishun 18 Tickets (青春18きっぷ) and my husband and I made the trek down to notably sunnier and warmer Kansai for the long weekend.*
Why Osaka at Christmas? For the German Christmas Market, which proved to not only be an entertaining night out but also a sociological experience!