Kanazawa
It was an exceptionally early 5.55 when the alarm stirred our consciousness today, but we were on a mission...up showered dressed and sort of packed so that we could be out the door to get to the Kenroku-en Japanese Garden and Kanazawa Castle. Why so early? Well were will be on a tight schedule today and we wanted to see the blossoms without being killed in the crush so this seemed like a great idea. The taxi rank was just across the road from the Garden Hotel and it was a 10 minute trip up to an almost deserted garden.. And the blossoms... breathtaking. the Kenroku-en garden is one of the top 3 gardens in Japan and I can see why. Simply beautiful. Yesterday our guide told us that the components for a Japanese garden were trees, water and stones. Yep! Tick tick tick! The pictures speak for themselves... And the blossoms that are planted along the side of the garden and around the castle are beautiful. See for yourself.
It was an exceptionally early 5.55 when the alarm stirred our consciousness today, but we were on a mission...up showered dressed and sort of packed so that we could be out the door to get to the Kenroku-en Japanese Garden and Kanazawa Castle. Why so early? Well were will be on a tight schedule today and we wanted to see the blossoms without being killed in the crush so this seemed like a great idea. The taxi rank was just across the road from the Garden Hotel and it was a 10 minute trip up to an almost deserted garden.. And the blossoms... breathtaking. the Kenroku-en garden is one of the top 3 gardens in Japan and I can see why. Simply beautiful. Yesterday our guide told us that the components for a Japanese garden were trees, water and stones. Yep! Tick tick tick! The pictures speak for themselves... And the blossoms that are planted along the side of the garden and around the castle are beautiful. See for yourself.
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| The classic view of the top pond |
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| Oldest fountain in Japan - or so the sign says |
We wandered for over an hour before making our way down to the main road via the Oyama shrine, featuring metal lions rampant this time and simple stylised interior. It is a small shrine by Japanese standards but certainly worth the look. Then it was time to find the bus back to Kanazawa station and yes we did it. The bus stops in Japan are spread much further apart than they are at home, but a four block walk found us on the right bus and back at the station with a well developed breakfast hunger!! So buffet breakfast at the hotel and time in the room to upload some pics before catching our reserved seated Nohi bus to Shirakawa-go.
Shirakawa-go
We were very glad that we had reserved seats early because the bus was full. It was a picturesque drive, past rice fields and sparse housing and then we saw it. SNOW!! Who said anything about SNOW. But there is was covering the mountaintops up ahead. The other give-away was the little weather signs as we climbed higher into the mountains... showing the snow man with little flakes falling around him, rather than the umbrella that had been showing down on the plain. As we climbed, the snow became thicker on the road side and you could see it snowing on the higher peaks. It was truly spectacular and not at all what we were expecting.
We were very glad that we had reserved seats early because the bus was full. It was a picturesque drive, past rice fields and sparse housing and then we saw it. SNOW!! Who said anything about SNOW. But there is was covering the mountaintops up ahead. The other give-away was the little weather signs as we climbed higher into the mountains... showing the snow man with little flakes falling around him, rather than the umbrella that had been showing down on the plain. As we climbed, the snow became thicker on the road side and you could see it snowing on the higher peaks. It was truly spectacular and not at all what we were expecting.
Then below us appeared Shirakawa-go. This is a UNESCO World Heritage listed site and consists of very old traditional A frame houses called Gasho Zukuri, with 15 inch thick cypress thatched roofing. The town is located in a hanging valley in very steep mountain terrain. It is divided by a rapidly flowing river over which hangs a walking suspension bridge.
There is a sameness in all of the buildings and a quiet, in spite of the numbers of tourists. Walking along one of the streets we saw Aussie TV presenter Graham Ross from Better Homes and Gardens. No we were not dags and did not ask for a photograph!!! We wandered around, soaking in the atmosphere until we found somewhere that sold lunch and had a beef and potato croquet that had a very fancy name. The store was warm, and so was the food. Temperature wise it was kicking around zero at this stage. A queue was gathering at the Nohi bus boarding point and, as seats were unreserved on this leg to Takayama, we went to join the queue and just got a seat. Onward up the mountain!!!
Takayama
So Takayama is not all that far from Shirakawa-go, but the road is mountainous and then winds down into a wide valley and it contains two tollbooths... guess that is one way of ensuring decent roads in such remote areas. Takayama didn't look much from the bus and train station, but it only took a wander about 4 blocks away to find the magic of the place. It is an "old town" and the old quarter is beautiful. Narrow streets, dark traditional Japanese wooden buildings... so much history. I really thought that I was on the set of Shintaro or The Samurai.
So Takayama is not all that far from Shirakawa-go, but the road is mountainous and then winds down into a wide valley and it contains two tollbooths... guess that is one way of ensuring decent roads in such remote areas. Takayama didn't look much from the bus and train station, but it only took a wander about 4 blocks away to find the magic of the place. It is an "old town" and the old quarter is beautiful. Narrow streets, dark traditional Japanese wooden buildings... so much history. I really thought that I was on the set of Shintaro or The Samurai.
Chris had planned out a few more things to see. One was these traditional streets, a second was the "House of Treasures" which we found by the name of Takayama Betsuin, a magnificent Buddhist temple carved sanctuary area and an expansive floor area covered in tatami matting. We were standing in the temple when a Buddhist priest and two paying patrons arrived and we moved to the back and witnessed some beautiful chanting as the two men joined in prayers sitting on very low wooden seats at the front of the temple.
Another famous attraction is the Festival Floats display that is attached to the Sakurayama Niko-kan Shinto shrine. The shrine itself dates back to the 4th century or so where the son of an emperor was sent to control the terrible monster, an incredible beast with 2 heads, 4 arms and 4 legs. Before undertaking his task, the warrior enshrined his father, the Emperor Ohjin, as the deity of this shrine and prayed for the success of his mission. The shrine was enlarged in the 19th century and today hosts an amazing Autumn festival. It is said that during the two days of the festival, the deity leaves the shrine. It is beautiful of its own, but the floats and the video that we saw of the festival was great. It is hard to get the 2 unit Studies of Religion girls to really understand the significance of Shinto to everyday life in Japan and this festival really encapsulates it... I have learned so much.
Another famous attraction is the Festival Floats display that is attached to the Sakurayama Niko-kan Shinto shrine. The shrine itself dates back to the 4th century or so where the son of an emperor was sent to control the terrible monster, an incredible beast with 2 heads, 4 arms and 4 legs. Before undertaking his task, the warrior enshrined his father, the Emperor Ohjin, as the deity of this shrine and prayed for the success of his mission. The shrine was enlarged in the 19th century and today hosts an amazing Autumn festival. It is said that during the two days of the festival, the deity leaves the shrine. It is beautiful of its own, but the floats and the video that we saw of the festival was great. It is hard to get the 2 unit Studies of Religion girls to really understand the significance of Shinto to everyday life in Japan and this festival really encapsulates it... I have learned so much.
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| Portable shrine on left, with four of the floats to the right of it. |
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| Wooden bridge and Tori that leads up to the shrine |
We headed back towards the station, footsore and cold and in need of a coffee before our 5.15 express train to Toyamo which connected with the brand new Hokuriku Shinkansen that made its first trip on Chris' 60 birthday. What a fabulous thing for him to ride it on his "birthday" holiday. It was a very rapid and ultra smooth and silent ride... right up there with the TGV. Anyway four hours after leaving Takayama we were in Tokyo... the Japanese big smoke. The hotel we are staying at is new and lovely with great views from our very small 32nd floor room... But the location is great and we are settled for the night, having had a sandwich from the local Bellmart for dinner. Day over... and over 600km by bus and train today , and the pedometer tells me that we have walked over 20, 000 steps or over 15km on foot. What a day. Good night all.
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