Recently we have been looking around in temples and shrines, so it's time for a castle again. Or better for what is left of it now. again).
So we set off for the Ishikawa Prefecture, more precisely we head to the city of Kanazawa. Ishikawa is also located on the large Japanese main island of Honshu, on the western side directly on the Sea of Japan. It was some years since when we visited Kanazawa, but the somewhat long journey to get there was definitely worth it.
Kanazawa has a bit of a reputation as a "little Kyoto" (Sho-Kyōto), thanks to the Kenrokuen, one of Japan's three perfect gardens, the Higashiyama Chaya, the tea district, and the many temples and former samurai mansions. During the Edo period, the city and the surrounding region were spared war and severe natural disasters, and the daimyo of the Maeda clan who ruled here promoted culture, literature, sado (the tea ceremony), theater, and even gardening. The production and processing of gold leaf also helped to spread the good reputation of the Saga province throughout the country.
Kanazwa, as a city that served as the seat of a daimyo, also had a proer castle, Kanazawa-jō 金沢城. However, the castle was ravaged by several fires in the 15th and 16th centuries, and among other areas, the castle tower and the main residence were then destroyed. From the original castle complex, the Ishikawa Gate has been preserved until today, and in recent times, some facilities like a longhouse and several turrets have been restored. In addition, there is a park on the former castle complex, and Kenrokuen Park is also located just outside the Ishikawa Gate.
Even if large parts of Kanazawa-jo are no longer preserved, a visit is worthwhile all the time, since even the still existing and also the lovingly reconstructed buildings are more than impressive and offer an extremely charming and authentic atmosphere.
During our short stay we stopped here a few times, and from these visits I would like to show you some photos today. I hope the pictures can share a bit of the atmosphere that makes this place so inviting.
So off we go to the Kanazawa-jo Castle complex, which is quite spacious and expansive and thus a lovely place for a longer walk. We took the Gyokusen'inmaru entrance, behind which we were greeted by a lovely park.
Gyokusen'inmaru Park, is a garden located in the castle complex, nestled right up against the former castle wall, and is just wonderfully Japanese. Even though this park was rebuilt in modern times, it is more than authentic and very reminiscent of feudal Japan. The park was originally created in 1634, but was abandoned during the Meiji period. Fortunately it has been opened to the public again in 2015 after several years of reconstruction.
The tea house offers the best view over this traditional park, which used to be the private garden of the Maeda clan.
Several small bridges, a waterfall and small islands combine with other traditional elements of Japanese garden architecture, but the park probably works best as a refined work of art.
After soaking in this scenery, you are perfectly attuned to the rest of the adjoining castle complex, which you can enter in the background, walking and climbing up along the castle walls.
The whole complex offers a lot of greenery, but then also several reconstructed buildings, such as this fifty-fathom longhouse, topped by a small watchtower at both ends. Japanese architecture has a unique charm, especially in castles, which is probably also due to the often used white limestone paint.
In the background, behind the longhouse, there was probably once the main tower, which unfortunately fell victim to one of the many fires. Japanese castles are built to a large extent of wood, which has always led to great destruction in case of fire and also in the event of war and fighting.
Many castles in Japan are therefore today no longer preserved in the original, that's why I appreciate all the more the work that has been put into the reconstruction of these imposing buildings and the preservation of the history associated with them. As for such diligent people, we were able to look at and to visit this gate and the buildings associated with it and try to experience and feel history up close.
The Ishikawa Gate is one of the few structures of the castle complex that has been preserved in its original state. It is located right next to the entrance to Kenrokuen Park, which I will introduce you to another time. At the time of our visit here, it was just early May, and the azaleas blooming in the foreground, the fresh green leaves, and the gate structure in the background provided us with wonderful photo material, and of course I couldn't resist to take out my camera all the time. I actually never put it away.
But also at night the former castle is worth a visit, because parts of the complex are illuminated, which had intensified and enhanced the mood and atmosphere here quite a lot. And of course we did not miss the little spectacle.
If you let your mind wander a bit, you might be able to imagine in your mind what life might have been like here a few hundred years ago. Kanazawa was a fairly wealthy province, and the once spacious castle complex still reflects that until today.
And even though Kanazawa-jo survived not at a whole, our visit here was worthwhile. It was educational and stimulating, but also relaxing and revitalizing at the same time. Japanese history is long and has multiple aspects, and I'm always happy when I've learned something new again and understood some more details. And when I am on the actually spot, I can sometimes feel and experience a bit of history up close and in person, and thus understand and comprehend it much better.
Kanazawa-jo is definitely a place I want to return to, even though there are so many other things here in Japan that I definitely still want to see and discover. The next time, I will share a little bit more from Kanazawa, as the city has more great places and pcitures to offer, which I don't want to hide from you.
またね matane
[//]:# (!pinmapple 36.566392 lat 136.659765 long Kanazawa-jo - The castle side of the former Saga province d3scr)