Kanazawa
26/05/2022 / Last updated : 17/06/2022 d.d Following The Cherry Blossom Front

Kanazawa Walk　金沢歩き

7th. April Kenrokuen　　兼六園 A beautiful, fine morning as we walk a few hundred metres to Kenrokuen a large park in the city centre. It is adjacent to City hall and a large, modern art museum ‘Kanazawa 21century Museum’. Kenrokuen is one of three famous Japanese gardens (The other two are in Mito and Okayama), it was created in the Edo era by a Daimyo in Kaga. There is as a rule an entrance fee to Kenrokuen but, unusually, in cherry blossom season this fee is waived. There are various paths to follow, a couple ponds and blossoms everywhere. In a separate area there is a plum grove, but these blossoms […]
Nata-dera
26/05/2022 / Last updated : 26/05/2022 d.d Following The Cherry Blossom Front

Otsu to Kanazawa via Nata-dera　大津から金沢へ

6th. April This is a driving day as we head for Kanazawa. Crawling up the west bank of Lake Biwa becomes tedious, so we opt for the toll-free motorway. This is a better choice as it is faster, we have a long way to go, and the view is much superior. Instead of car-lots and derelict hotels you get lake and mountainscapes. At some point, we hit the coast and drive with a placid Nihonkai (Japan Sea) on our left and high vegetation covered cliffs and small fishing communities on our right. But we are losing time, so cut inland again to find Route 8. We want to visit Nata-dera […]
Daigo temple
26/05/2022 / Last updated : 26/05/2022 d.d Following The Cherry Blossom Front

Daigo Temple Cherry Blossom　醍醐寺の桜

5th. April. Daigo Temple Cherry Blossom　醍醐の桜 This is Kyoto day, so we take the Keihan train from Hama-Otsu to Daigo Station on the Tozai (subway line). Daigo Temple is a world heritage site. Its garden has been famous for cherry blossom, at least, since Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a sakura viewing party here in 1598. There is a 1500-yen entrance fee, that I thought a bit steep, but it gives you entrance to 3 sites. I was amused to note two men with padded ladders carefully holding weeping cherry branches clear to allow a couple of large trucks to edge past without disturbing the blossoms. Diago Temple is large and we […]
Miidera
19/05/2022 / Last updated : 21/05/2022 d.d Following The Cherry Blossom Front

Hirafuku and Mii-dera cherry blossoms　平福、三井寺

Following the Sakura Front 2022 4th. April Chugoku Expressway Wake in the Hirafuku Michi no eki after a long drive on the Chugoku Expressway. What a wonderful road this is, broad curves winding up and down with almost no traffic. It is possible to see a long distance both ahead and behind on both carriageways and not another vehicle in sight. The only drawback is the absurd 60kph speed limit. Hirafuku Michi no eki　道の駅平福 Hirafuku Michi no eki is a reasonable place to stay. It has a restaurant and provides an interesting walk around the old post town. There are castle remains on the hilltop across the valley, two huge […]