Fall (August-October) - A Lot of Walking

Hi everyone, apologies for skipping our Fall monthly updates - much hasn't happened these past three months as we all continue to wait for things to return to normal, but here are a couple pictures (there may be some formatting issues with how this post is shown)!

Nagao has stayed home in Kanazawa (and I visited him from Tokyo from time to time), with the Japanese summer bringing in record temperatures this year in August, he spent most of his exercise time in the downstairs gym rather than risk going outside. August brought some fun surprises, however, with our friends Jim & Frann, Paul/Alison/Peter/Debbie/Kyle & Karl taking the time to call us on zoom. They were wonderful opportunities for Nagao (and myself) to see how everyone is faring back home in the states, and for everyone to talk with the man himself once again. 

Fall has brought with it cooler temperatures that are manageable enough for Nagao to resume his notoriously long walks once more (by notoriously long, I mean these 2-3 hour walks that quite literally go for miles). I had to name any big change that happened with Nagao over these past few months, it’s his ability to really walk the distance. I think much of this has to do with the decades he spent standing for hours on end making sushi; regardless even if that was the case, the fact that he spends 1.5 hours each on the treadmill and cycling without “feeling that tired” on the daily should speak for itself. I refrained from sharing a picture but if any of you have the privilege of seeing his legs as I have you will know. 

With his ability to walk record distances unrestrained, Nagao (and I, on occasion) was able to catch some new sights that I’d like to share. One was a place I mentioned previously but never had the opportunity then to see, the rebuilt Nezumita gate of Kanazawa Castle (read about it if you haven’t already in my previous post here). Other notable additions to Nagao’s travels include the old samurai estate of the Nomura family (who were high ranking members within the ruling Maeda clan of the region) and the historically preserved Nishi-jaya street. 

The Nomura estate, as with many of the wealthy/noble families of the time, is located near Kanazawa Castle, and is beside the oldest canals of the city. The estate is surrounded by remnants of this period, such as preserved horse stables, gardens, walls, and homes that have retained some if not all of the traditional architectures and plots of the time. With a separate tea house and various rooms and ornaments that can only be found in residences of like influence and wealth, the Nomura estate is a rare relic of the time. It’s the main attraction, however, is not the architecture but the garden that it has within its walls; considered to be one of the best-curated gardens in Japan and with two Michelin Stars for its sights (the Michelin Green Guide, which is separate from its better-known restaurant guide), the garden is best described by the phrase quality over quantity. 

Apologies again for the late, and relatively short, update. Hopefully, we have more exciting news this month! 

- akira