Golden Week Part 3

Sunday 2nd May

I took an early local train to Kanazawa, a traditional Samurai town which is a popular tourist destination for the Japanese. At the centre of the city is the huge white Castle, and next to that is the famous garden Kenroku-en, which is considered one of the three most beautiful Japanese gardens. There are three geisha teahouse districts, and a famous market. The city was very big, and having done a lot of mountain climbing the previous day, and due to the fact that it was another scorching day, I was thankful for the city loop bus which only cost 200 yen (£1.20) a trip.

First, I refueled with a Japanese breakfast consisting of miso soup, grilled fish, rice and tea. I had decided to only eat Japanese food for my three day vacation ^^

Myoryuji Temple, also known as Ninja Dera is a ninja-style temple with hidden traps and secret rooms. It was undeniably the coolest place I've ever been to! I joined a tour where we were shown special two-way doors, a well with a secret tunnel to the castle, hidden staircases and a magic self-locking trapdoor. There was also a secret room with only four tatami mats. Four is considered unlucky in Japan, since four is pronunced shi, the same as death. The four-tatami room was actually a suicide room for battle commanders who lost a fight.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take a camera into the temple, since it is a religious place, so this secret staircase picture is one I found online. As you can see from the left picture with me in it, it looks like a simple one or two floored building. At the time of Myoryuji's construction, it was illegal to construct a building taller than two floors. Myoryuji cunningly had four floor concealed. So cool!

As I mentioned before, there are countless temples in Kanazawa. Every dot on the above map is a Temple, and this was just the northen part of the city!

Oyama Shrine is the most famous in the city due to its Dutch-inspired stained glass gate at the entrance (remember you can click to enlarge photos).

Kanazawa Castle was unusual due to its white colour, it looked as though it had been snowed upon, which was impossible in the heat!!

Kenroku-en Gardens

 Left: Turtle Island and Right: The most iconic view in Kanazawa, Kotoji lantern

Higashi Cha-ya (Geisha District)

Many Edo period (17th century) teahouses remain in three Geisha areas in Kanazawa.

 I visited a couple of  Teahouses, and visitors were free to explore.

I was served Macha (fresh Green tea) and a sweet to take a away the bitterness.

Finally to end the day while I waited for my night bus, I made a wish at a shrine I came across.

I was told that when making a wish at a shrine, one claps twice, bows, throws a 5yen coin (~3p), and claps twice again (or something like that, many Japanese seem to do this in different orders)!! Unfortunately, while holding a camera, I didn't make the wish correctly so it probably won't come true!!