Hi all,
We hope you're all doing well, especially as covid-19 continues to affect all of our communities. And apologies for the pause in posts, I never got around to wrapping this one up. Nagao extends his regards, and having heard much of what's going on in Los Angeles and across the states directly from some of you as well as other friends and past employees, he expresses his sympathies, and condolences, to you. While we feel incredibly fortunate that the covid-19 situation in Japan is not as severe as it is in the states, it certainly is not getting better, which leaves us worried as well every day.
Just a few weeks ago Nagao returned to Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) to begin preparing to move into his new home, which just finished construction. This move was well timed, considering that it was right after Japan lifted its state of emergency, when infection totals were at the lowest. Kanazawa, while being one of the larger cities in the region facing the Sea of Japan, is more rural and smaller than a metropolis like Tokyo; in a time like this it is a welcome safe comfort away from the densely populated capital. With many landmarks and with its proximity to the sea, Nagao has been able to walk even greater distances and is now walking more than 10km (6mi) easily a day. I decided to visit him for Father's Day, so I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you all a bit to the city, which until recently has been pretty overlooked by tourists from abroad. Today I'll write about two of its famous landmarks, Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Gardens.
Kanazawa Castle
Built in the 1500s, Kanazawa Castle was the seat of power for the Maeda clan, one of, if not the utmost, wealthiest and most powerful clans under the Tokunaga Shogunate of the Edo period. The city of Kanazawa was formed around the castle (similar to how European villages formed around their respective castles) and grew over the past 500 years. Being relatively modern, the castle was state of the art, incorporating architectural notes from overseas. It is said for example that the roof tiles, which are made of lead, were designed such that in the event of a siege, they can be melted down to produce bullets. Unfortunately, over the centuries the city and castle suffered numerous fires, and after the end of the samurai periods in the 1800's, there was little left of the original structures. Since the end of the Second World War it used to host buildings for Kanazawa University, which then relocated in the 80's. Since then, the site and various remaining structures have been labelled as important historical and heritage sites, and the government has been working to rebuild and restore lost structures. Just recently, a new gate, which hadn't been around for 100 years, was rebuilt and reopened to the public. The castle's new buildings offer a rare, fresh perspective on what Japan's castles may have been like back in their hayday.
Kenrokuen Gardens
Right adjacent to Kanazawa Castle, the Kenrokuen Gardens are one of Japan's finest. Also commissioned by the Maeda clan, the gardens were an extension of Kanazawa Castle and first made available to the public in the 1800s. With lakes, streams and numerous sections, the gardens provide new landscapes for every season, enticing visitors from across Japan year long. The links I've included provide much better, detailed commentary, but having been to these gardens a couple times myself I can definitely say that they're worth a visit. The serenity and views of the surrounding city below makes it a great place to unwind and reflect. The various historical monuments built over time also provide an interesting learning opportunity about both the gardens and castle themselves but about the city's origins as well. (the picture is of Nagao promoting some new local cultural booklet)
When travel becomes possible again please come visit Nagao, he'll be more than happy to show you around!
- akira
We hope you're all doing well, especially as covid-19 continues to affect all of our communities. And apologies for the pause in posts, I never got around to wrapping this one up. Nagao extends his regards, and having heard much of what's going on in Los Angeles and across the states directly from some of you as well as other friends and past employees, he expresses his sympathies, and condolences, to you. While we feel incredibly fortunate that the covid-19 situation in Japan is not as severe as it is in the states, it certainly is not getting better, which leaves us worried as well every day.
Just a few weeks ago Nagao returned to Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) to begin preparing to move into his new home, which just finished construction. This move was well timed, considering that it was right after Japan lifted its state of emergency, when infection totals were at the lowest. Kanazawa, while being one of the larger cities in the region facing the Sea of Japan, is more rural and smaller than a metropolis like Tokyo; in a time like this it is a welcome safe comfort away from the densely populated capital. With many landmarks and with its proximity to the sea, Nagao has been able to walk even greater distances and is now walking more than 10km (6mi) easily a day. I decided to visit him for Father's Day, so I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you all a bit to the city, which until recently has been pretty overlooked by tourists from abroad. Today I'll write about two of its famous landmarks, Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Gardens.Kanazawa Castle
Built in the 1500s, Kanazawa Castle was the seat of power for the Maeda clan, one of, if not the utmost, wealthiest and most powerful clans under the Tokunaga Shogunate of the Edo period. The city of Kanazawa was formed around the castle (similar to how European villages formed around their respective castles) and grew over the past 500 years. Being relatively modern, the castle was state of the art, incorporating architectural notes from overseas. It is said for example that the roof tiles, which are made of lead, were designed such that in the event of a siege, they can be melted down to produce bullets. Unfortunately, over the centuries the city and castle suffered numerous fires, and after the end of the samurai periods in the 1800's, there was little left of the original structures. Since the end of the Second World War it used to host buildings for Kanazawa University, which then relocated in the 80's. Since then, the site and various remaining structures have been labelled as important historical and heritage sites, and the government has been working to rebuild and restore lost structures. Just recently, a new gate, which hadn't been around for 100 years, was rebuilt and reopened to the public. The castle's new buildings offer a rare, fresh perspective on what Japan's castles may have been like back in their hayday.Kenrokuen Gardens
Right adjacent to Kanazawa Castle, the Kenrokuen Gardens are one of Japan's finest. Also commissioned by the Maeda clan, the gardens were an extension of Kanazawa Castle and first made available to the public in the 1800s. With lakes, streams and numerous sections, the gardens provide new landscapes for every season, enticing visitors from across Japan year long. The links I've included provide much better, detailed commentary, but having been to these gardens a couple times myself I can definitely say that they're worth a visit. The serenity and views of the surrounding city below makes it a great place to unwind and reflect. The various historical monuments built over time also provide an interesting learning opportunity about both the gardens and castle themselves but about the city's origins as well. (the picture is of Nagao promoting some new local cultural booklet)
When travel becomes possible again please come visit Nagao, he'll be more than happy to show you around!
- akira
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