Kanazawa Castle

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We set off to explore Kanazawa Castle. We read that it was built in the late sixteenth century and was the home of the local shogunate ruler until the start of the Meiji Period in 1868. It seems that it has been burnt down and rebuilt about half a dozen times, including in the Great Kanazawa Fire of 1759. Most of the current buildings are a modern reconstruction of what the castle would have looked like in the 1850s. The exteriors of all the buildings are mainly stone, but the interiors are all wood, so it’s not too surprising that they seem to have had a lot of trouble with fires here over the years. The towers above the outer gates all have small openings in them, and one of the guides takes great pleasure in telling us that these were used to drop rocks and pour boiling oil on attackers.

We walk across a bridge to the Kenrokuen Gardens. We read that these were developed between the 1620s and the 1840s, and used to be part of the Castle’s private garden. They are absolutely stunning, and are right up there the best gardens we’ve been to in Japan so far. They are built on a small hill and incorporate all the usual Japanese garden features of ponds, tea houses, shrines and the odd waterfall.

We have lunch in a cafe in amongst a very cute row of shops next to the Gardens. I ask for a soft drink, and the waiter points me to the vending machine out in the street a bit along from his shop. Vending machines seem to be very popular in Japan, and there doesn’t seem to be too much that you can’t get from the many of them that we‘ve seen here. You can even buy beer from a vending machine. We’re not quite sure how they make sure that a vending machine doesn’t sell beer to prospective underage drinkers, but I’m sure that some very clever Japanese person will have come up with a solution to this issue. Unlike the vending machines back home, these ones work, and you don’t have to bash on them with your fist to try to get your drink out, or to retrieve your change.

As we walk back across the bridge towards the Castle we see a couple in full and very colourful traditional dress having their wedding photos taken.

We stop in front of a map of the local area. North is pointing to the right of the sign, so we decide that it’s time to test Issy’s theory that when we stand directly in front of the sign, north will also be to the right. We get out an iPhone and open the compass app, and sure enough north is off to our right. Issy says that this will prevent injuries to the countless women who would otherwise have needed to contort themselves to look at the map so that it was facing in the direction that they wanted to go. She says that this is also a massive slap in the face for all the rigid men in the world who think that north should always be up the page. I have a nasty feeling that she might be including me in this.

We have a quick snooze back at the hotel and then head across the river to the Higashi Chaya district. The district is full of very cute small wooden traditional houses and temples from the feudal era. We go into the Shima Geisha Tea House which is around 140 years old. It is on two levels and is very well preserved.

We walk back towards the hotel and find a Seven Eleven to stock up on supplies. As we approach the car park we notice that the engines of most of the cars in it are running, but there’s no one in any of them. We assume that the doors probably aren’t locked either, but decide that it mightn’t be a very good idea to try to open one to find out. It seems that no one here is at all worried about having their car stolen, and this again reinforces our view that Japan must be a very safe place.

We decide to eat at the Japanese restaurant at the hotel. Issy orders a scotch, which comes out in a huge glass with a large spherical ice cube in it. My stubby of beer comes out accompanied by a shot glass. We wonder whether the waitress might have mixed up the glasses, but decide that it might be better for everyone if we don’t ask. Midway through the meal I realise that I may have inadvertently committed the cardinal sin of eating my food with both ends of the same set of chopsticks. I look around anxiously to see if anyone has noticed, but it’s a bit dark and we’re sitting in a corner so I think I might have got away with it. I wonder why they don’t paint one end of all the chopsticks so that it’s obvious which end is which. Then again, I haven’t noticed anyone else having a problem with this.

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