First stop is the third greatest garden in Japan, Kenrokuen. Begun in the 1600's it has evolved into a splendid example of a large strolling Japanese garden.
It has a tea house, waterfall, many bridges, a shrine, two large ponds fed by numerous waterways, a samurai house, the oldest fountain in Japan, numerous stone lanterns, monuments and, of course, hundreds of impressive trees. None of the cherry trees were in bloom but the plum tree grove was flowering with over 200 different species of trees. Some of the evergreen trees are hundreds of years old and have been pruned and shaped into amazing living works of art. The garden is located on top of a hill with views all over Kanazawa. It is also hugely popular with people coming from as far away as Tokyo to visit. And, it is a lovely place to have wedding photos taken.
Within the garden we visited the Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts (Smile Note: I entered under false pretenses because Saeko bought all our tickets as "seniors" which is 65 and older---close but still 64!). It was a small but elegant place with modern interpretations of all the traditional Japanese crafts. The gift shop had some very special items to tempt you but I refrained myself!
In addition to the gardens we crossed a bridge and entered one of the gates left from the Maeda Family castle. This medieval samurai family was very powerful, very rich and ruled the area for centuries. When they were defeated the victors destroyed the castle but left the walls, gates and some inner buildings. Interesting but not that exciting.
On to lunch at a bistro---salmon, veggies and a salad with delicious bread. Got to watch TV with Japanese baseball.
The area we next wandered was the most historic of Kanazawa. Because this city was never bombed in WWII it has retained many of its classic houses and shops. A very popular tourist destination, we looked, shopped and enjoyed the flavor of Higashi Chayagai. What was most enjoyable was being invited into one of the few remaining tea houses and speaking with the owner. We removed our shoes, went up the public stairs and sat on tatami mats in the first guest room. We learned many things about geishas and how they are chosen, trained and their responsibilities. Geiko-San have three entertainment requirements---singing, dancing and playing music. They also serve tea, food and saki and enjoy conversation. Each "entertainment" is 90 minutes long, a time set when clocks were not available but the burning of two incense sticks was about that length. As our hostess said, Geishas are "selling" a dream. We toured the rest of the house and saw the performing room, the loggia, the courtyard garden, the gold tatami floored tea room, the guest room, the "make-up" room and the back stairs where we exited. Fascinating and an excellent explanation of a very misunderstood part of Japanese culture.
Our last experience of the day was a stop at the Los Angeles Cafe, a coffee house with an interesting story. "Mickey" is the owner and an evacuee from the devastation wrought after the earthquake/tsunami/radiation leak of March 11, 2011. He eloquently and emotionally told his experiences of fleeing his home and driving with his family across Japan to get as far as he could from the damage. There were tears as we listened. It took him three years to recover and begin to rebuild his life. His brother, living in LA, convinced him to open an American style coffee house and serve healthy, organic, local foods. The cafe opened on 3/11/14 and became a magnet for many evacuees who needed the support and understanding of others. They have organized, printed a newsletter and have begun fundraising. I looked up some of the statistics and there are over 220,000 people who have been relocated, 20,000 died or are still missing and no idea of how many will have long term problems because of radiation exposure. The government seems to be a bit remiss in their responsibilities and, currently, have just been found guilty in civil court for their lack of support. A touching look at an enormous issue in this country.
On the bus back to the hotel we were told why it seemed there were so many, many people at all of the places we visited. It is a three day weekend to celebrate the vernal equinox! A big holiday here when people buy traditional foods, visit family and enjoy the coming of spring. Ahh, that explained the crowds, the ladies in kimonos, the special food displays, the busy stores.
Which leads me into the last experience of the day. I decided to not go out for dinner but grab something from a stand in the train station and eat in my room. Was I in for a shock! The station was a mob scene with hundreds of people buying treats, gifts, food, trinkets and many things I didn't even know what they were. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the hectic yet happy people deciding on items while wheeling suitcases, keeping an eye on children and discussing which boxed sweet to buy. Some of the displays were very artistic, every stand was tidy and organized and there were enough employees to please all the shoppers. After searching high and low for cheese (I'm craving it) I gave up and bought a sandwich at a delicious bakery. Then I went into the "mall" and enjoyed more people watching and merchandise browsing. Lovely things, no bargains, name brands are popular, minimal inventory and attractive young salespeople. I also noticed this is a place for teenagers to hang out to see and be seen---sound familiar? A delightful and enjoyable way to get a bite to eat.
Need to finish this post and do some laundry. Happy Early Equinox Day!
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ReplyDeleteYour trip looks so wonderful, Andrea!
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