Japan 2015: Toyama, Kanazawa and Kenrokuen

Our next stop was Toyama, which according to my research was the gateway city to the northern Alps of Japan, Kurobe Gorge and the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Unfortunately for us, my research wasn’t in-depth enough and a short train ride away (25 minutes by shinkansen), Kanazawa awaited with its beautiful garden and many and varied shopping malls. Toyama had a couple of shopping malls but they were not of the same quality as Kanazawa and overall the city was pretty dull (not that we ventured out too far), although the sushi train at Sushidama near the train station was very nice. If we had our time again, we definitely would’ve stayed in Kanazawa rather than Toyama though, especially since we ended up only going on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route and not the Kurobe Gorge train. Oh well, live and learn.

So the topic of this post will be Kanazawa with the very well designed and laid out Kenrokuen which was great during the brightest time of the day in the middle of Summer, so I will only be able to imagine what it must be like during the golden hour (or blue hour) in the middle of Autumn, or cherry blossom season. You can only enjoy what’s put in front of you, so that we did as we strolled around the lovely garden finding shade wherever we could. There is a fountain that does not use any mechanical aids, only water pressure, of course the ubiquitous mossy rocks, and ponds with koi swimming around, everything you’d expect from a Japanese garden, all in one big, well thought out place. We spent about two hours there, but it could’ve easily been three or four hours especially if the weather was a bit more forgiving, there just weren’t enough shady spots to sit and relax (and also the little emperor woke up halfway through :D). It’s only a short bus ride from the station (ten minutes or so on the shuttle, 200 yen on weekdays, 100 yen on weekends or public holidays), entry was something like 600 yen.

We thought about crossing the road and visiting Kanazawa Castle Park, but got to one of the entrances that the sign said was free to go in but couldn’t find any way in, so we just carried on towards Omicho Market, a fresh food market near the Kanazawa Station. It was hot and sunny, and by the time we arrived at the market, we were famished, and very thirsty, a perfect combination for such a place, as there was plenty of fresh seafood to be had, as well as cheap drinks to go with it. Afterwards we headed back toward the station where there were at least two big shopping malls (and a nice big sculpture/structure out the front), we visited one of the malls which was definitely very nice and we could’ve spent more time there, we did have dinner as well before heading back to Toyama for the night.

As I’ve mentioned several times before, Kanazawa definitely would have been a better place to stay, especially after I found out that Kenrokuen is open after hours (or before hours) from 5am until opening time for free (but you have to leave before opening time obviously) which would’ve been good to get some pictures in better light with no other people, and also much cooler (maybe). But we won’t dwell on that, on to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route next, lots of pictures. P.S. Another great reason to go to Kanazawa, there were at least two Mister Donuts there, and they still sell those magnificent custard donuts, make me drool just thinking about them!