Rob Jackman – Page 8 – JACKMAN ESCAPADES

Kanazawa, The Old And The New

Kanazawa, A Contrast To Takayama ….
Once again a very pleasant train trip from Takayama to Kanazawa which took about 2 hours. We wound our way down out of the mountains and on to flat plains as we arrived in Kanazawa. This city is much larger than Takayama and the historic sights tend to be spread all over the city rather than concentrated as they are in Takayama. To get around you have three main options, walk, bicycle or a loop bus which goes around the city to all the major sights. Our first day we elected to walk and went to the Omi-Cho Market, a combined fresh food market with a sprinkling of other vendors selling clothes, bags and other necessities that the locals require. Being a Saturday it was bustling with the Japanese doing their weekend shopping and buying fresh fish and vegetables of all varieties.

Omi-Cho Market. Fresh foods and other delights

Beautifully prepared and presented food and ready prepared meals

Gardens And Castles Fill In The Day ….
On our second day we decided to rent a bicycle from one of the many “bicycle locking booths”, similar to the tourist bicycles in Melbourne city, the difference being that an adult does not require a helmet in Japan, only a child. After translating the rules and paying by credit card, we set off to explore part of the city and to visit the Kenroku-En Gardens. These gardens cover an area of 11.4 hectares and are well worth a visit. After parking our bikes we wandered the gardens which date back over 300 years and over hundreds of years have been transformed into a magnificent park where visitors can learn about nature and history right in the downtown area of Kanazawa. There is so much to see including lakes and ponds, waterfalls, tea houses, traditional bridges over winding peaceful streams, and of course a selection of over 8,200 trees and 160 species of flowers. It was just pleasant and peaceful to walk around until the dark clouds opened up and it poured with rain.

On our bikes in one of the shopping arcades

The amazing and beautiful Kenroku-En Gardens. View of the Tea Houses in the gardens.

Autumn colours in the gardens. Yes that is a bird in the tree

Not Unlike Melbourne ….
The saying in Kanazawa is “you can forget your boxed lunch but dont forget your umbrella”. We fortunately had not forgotten our umbrellas and scurried undercover to enjoy a soba noodle lunch before venturing on to visit the castle opposite.

A wedding ceremoney. Bride in a traditional wedding outfit

Still Under Construction ….
The Kanazawa Castle construction began more than 400 years ago but has had many fires over time. The castle is being restored to its original form using the traditional construction methods. The structure consists of a framework of Japanese cypress pillars and American white cedar beams with pine logs used for the ceiling beams all jointed with resistant mud walls and strengthened with braces. It is the largest wooden castle in Japan and the buildings are expected to last 200-250 years. It is being so perfectly restored. The rain continued so we decided to abandon our bike ride and catch the Loop Bus back home.

The amazing roof structure of the Kanazawa Castle. Every joint in the roof structure is like a jigsaw puzzle. No nails, bolts or scews used

I Think We Will Go Loopy ….

On our last day we decided to buy an all day Loop Bus pass for 500 yen (approx $5.50) and visit the other tourist areas of Kanazawa. Again, we didn’t forget our umbrellas and our first stop was Higashi Chaya District. This area is full of artisan shops where you can experience different works of art including ceramics, gold leaf, lacquer art, fabric dying and silk work. Very expensive shops are set amongst the traditional houses of the feudal period.

Higashi Chaya district. An old part of Kanazawa with traditional houses

Back On The Bus ….

It was then back on the Loop Bus for our next stop to soak up more of the city of Kanazawa. We walked up little alleyways, down shopping boulevards and covered arcades, indulging in coffee and cake under a marquee at a cake exhibition in the pouring rain and then back on the bus to the Nishi Chaya and Termachi Temple area to see temples and again traditional houses along a cobbled street.

Morning coffee with delicious cakes at a cake expo in Central Park

By the end of our final day in Kanazawa we were ready to continue onto Osaka, our next adventure, leaving the next morning at 9.00am.

The magnificent autumn colours of Kanazawa. Note the approaching storm in the background

Goodbye Tokyo, Hello Takayama

A Taste Of The Country Side ….
We left Tokyo at 8.33am precisely on the Shinkansan (bullet train) bound for Nagoya. It was a pleasant 100 minute trip in first class, so nice and relaxing after a busy week in Tokyo. We were again very lucky to see a brilliant clear view of Mt Fuji along the way, then on arrival in Nagoya transferred trains to the Hida Limited Express on our way to Takayama. This was one of the best train trips we have ever done. The scenery was out of this world and as we followed the Hida River, there were photo shots to be taken at every turn. It was the middle of autumn and the leaves on the trees were becoming more colourful the closer we got to Takayama. Light green, to yellow, burnt orange and reds dominated the mountain sides and even beside the train track along the way. We passed through villages and towns and you never tired of the changing scenery. Unfortunately, 100 minutes later we arrived at our destination and took a taxi to our Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, for our three night stay.

Hida River on our train trip to Takayama

A Traditional Japanese Inn ….
To fully immerse ourselves in the Japanese culture we decided to book a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn. We were shown to our room overlooking Takayama and an elderly lady welcomed us and we knelt down and had green tea with her before she left our room. We had a traditional room with tatami mat floor, a cedar timber bath tub in a traditional Japanese bathroom, a separate toilet with all the fancy gadgets, but to our surprise not a bed in sight. After settling in to our room we went exploring the town, more on that later, but when we returned to our room we were presented with cosy futons, traditional Japanese bedding, which was set up for you each night on the floor. It was so cosy and not too hard sleeping on the floor either. In the mornings, we went down to a traditional Japanese breakfast sitting crossed legged on cushions on the floor and were served a mixture of Japanese food. Each morning we experienced a different Japanese breakfast and on the last morning it was western style for a change. Our first day was getting our bearings and our hotel was just a short 5 minutes walk into town. Only problem was we were high on a hill overlooking Takayama and the walk back was challenging. Definitely good exercise when you have to walk up the hill everyday.

Tea Ceremony to welcome us to the Ryokan

Go out walking and your beds turn up. Just like magic

Liz taking a relaxing bath in the cedar hot tub

Traditional Japanese breakfast at our Ryokan

A section of the old town in Takayama. Beautifully maintained and oh so clean

World Heritage, Deservedly ….
The next day we took a day tour of a World Heritage area 1 1/2 hours from Takayama with the first stop being Ainokura which is located in a mountainous region. It is home to some 80 residents who live in the village and are working very hard to preserve these important cultural properties. Ainokura has 20 gassho style houses most of them are 100 to 200 years old and the oldest is said to have been built some 400 years ago. The gassho roof has a slope of about 60 degrees forming a nearly equilateral triangle. This steep pitch allows snow to slide off the roof easily and the main roof is supported by stout oak beams which are curved at the base. These beams are made from trees that grow on the mountain sides and develop the curve naturally. No nails are used in the roof frame and it is lashed together with straw rope and crystal hazel boughs called ” neso”. The ropes are said to help preserve the houses for a long time since they accumulate soot from the smoke of the hearth and become as hard as steel, develop an insect repellent as well as preservation effects. The roofs are rethatched every 15 to 20 years. We wandered around this small village and visited the local museum.

A Gassho style house. Thatched roof and held together by straw rope

The amazing roof structure of a Gassho house

Traditional Japanese Lunch Included ….
From Ainokura we travelled onto Shirakawago following the river and crossing a large number of bridges along the way. From a hillside lookout overlooking Shirakawago we had lunch which was traditional japanese style. We then spent 2 hours walking around the village of gassho style houses some of which were open for a small fee. Many of the gassho houses in Shirakawago have been relocated from different areas. Both of these villages were cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time and they lived in these gassho style houses and subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms.. These houses are the only examples of their kind in Japan. We managed to see one of the houses being rethatched which was an labour involved process. We really enjoyed our day and would recommend it.

Our traditional Japanese lunch during our tour

Beautiful Takayama ….
Our next day in Takayama, a city in the mountainous Hida region, has a beautifully preserved old town with many sightseeing places to view. We spent the day wondering around the historical parts of this town. There are a number of walks that you can do on your own or with an English guide if needed. Tayayama has two festivals each year held in spring and autumn. We just missed the autumn festival but visited the Float museum where about a dozen festival floats are displayed. By chance we came across a parade of international peace supporters who had gathered in Takayama to spread love and friendship with other members from different countries. We had no idea what we were involved with but included ourselves in the welcoming ceremony, and parade.

A nice coffee at last and beautifully presented

Traditional floats at the exhibition hall

Drummers at the welcoming ceremoney for the spiritual gathering

The grand parade around Takayama to promote the spiritual gathering

We visited the local markets which seem popular in most towns. We wandered the alleyways with traditional Japanese tea rooms, houses and shops and restaurants. There are many restaurants in the town to choose to go to for a meal. The town seems to close down early before the restaurants open for the evening around 6.00pm. Our final couple of hours on our last day were spent in the Shiroyama Park just opposite our ryokan.
The autumn trees were slowly dropping their leaves and every now and again we would come across an ancient plaque, ruins of the Takayama Castle and resting places to just sit and relax. A nice way to spend our last few hours.

The magnificent autumn colours in the park next to our Ryokan

A Week In Tokyo

Off To A Wet Start …
We arrived in Tokyo 30 minutes ahead of schedule after a very comfortable business class flight on the new Boeing Dreamliner. This is a very quiet and comfortable plane so we both had a restful overnight flight. We checked into our East Ginza apartment and then went out for groceries and supplies. Unfortunately our first day in Tokyo was raining so we were a little limited in what we could do but managed our grocery shopping and a walk around the Ginza, the high class shopping district of Tokyo. Grocery shopping in Japan is a real experience as there is almost no English on any products so you rely on pictures and asking people for help.

Grocery shopping in a large department store in the Ginza

Edo Museum …
On day 2 in Tokyo we were presented with better weather and took off to explore Tokyo. Our first stop was the Edo Museum which covers the history of Tokyo from 1603 to 1868. We were extremely lucky to have the services of an English speaking guide who took us through the museum and explained many aspects of life in the Edo period. He was a very nice gentleman and a volunteer at the Museum and at the end of the 1 1/2 hour tour he insisted on taking our picture for his own personal website.

And On To Asakusa ….
Asakusa is a very popular tourist destination about 15 minutes by train from central Tokyo. It must have been school excursion day as there were hundreds of well behaved children all taking in the history and culture of the area. The main attraction of the area is the Senso-ji Buddhist temple. At the entrance to the temple is the Furai jin-mon (Gate of Wind God and Thunder God) adorned with a large red paper lantern that bears the inscription “Kaminari-mon” (Thunder Gate). Around this area are many tourist shops and restaurants. Our lunch consisted of tasting the many different snacks available from vendors in tourist the strip leading to the temple. From Asakusa we went by ferry and train back to our cosy apartment in East Ginza.

Enjoying Japanese snacks in the tourist area in Asakusa

We Venture Further Afield ….
Perfect weather on Friday and we were off to Hakone about 100km from Tokyo. This mountainous region of Japan and is a popular area for Japanese to take holidays and relax. After a 90 minute train ride we then hopped on a pirate ship for a cruise on Lake Ashi and then onto a ropeway (we would call it a cable car) to the top of the mountain range. We were lucky to see a perfect view of Mt Fuji topped with snow standing majestically in the background whilst in the foreground were the autumn tonings of the trees. What a great sight as there was no haze or cloud to block Mt Fuji. It was then onto a funicular railway which took us past sulphur mines and onto our last stop, Gora, before returning by train to Shinjuku where we spent 20 mins trying to find our way to the right subway line. Shinjuku is huge interchange station and even the locals get lost trying to navigate this station.

The pirate ship on which we cruised Lake Ashi.

The Weekend Arrives….
We decided to use the bicycles supplied by the apartment so took off after breakfast with our first stop being the Tsijuka fish market. It was quite busy with people buying up their fresh fish for the weekend and trolleys of workers delivering boxes of fresh fish everywhere. You must watch out for them as they whizz past you up and down the aisles. We wandered around the adjacent sushi restaurants where people have been queuing for hours just to taste the best sushi and sashimi in town. It is nothing to see 50 people lined up outside these restaurants.

The Tsijuka Fish market. The biggest fish market in Japan

Queues outside sashimi restaurants waiting for a table in the fish market precinct

From here we cycled to the Hama Rikyu Gardens, a park right on the river and surrounded by office buildings. It was a pleasant walk amongst some greenery and trees and away from the city. Back on our bikes and we rode around Tokyo for a few hours following the Sumida River, over many bridges until we were a long way from home. Our intrepid map reader, Rob, was able to get us back on track and we reached home just before dark.

A common sight in Japan. People with a telescopic pole taking selfies

Sunday it was back on our bikes early for a ride around the Ginza before the Sunday crowds visit the Ginza shopping and eating. We were almost the only people on the quiet streets and it felt strange that in 3 hours time there would probably be a million people in the Ginza. We couldnt go to Tokyo without going to Harajuka to see the young teenagers congregate in their dress up costumes. They meet at Harajuka Station and spend the day enjoying each others company. Takeshita Street is the street to walk down with all the food shops, teenager dress up shops and trinket shops on each side of this narrow street which is always busy, but packed on a Sunday.

Teenagers dressed up on Sunday in Harajuka

Meiji Shrine is set in Yoyogi Park quite close to Harajuka Station so we walked the 1 km into the shrine and found a few Japanese couples in their traditional costumes being married along with young children in their costumes all parading around with proud parents and grandparents.

Sunday best dressed for a special celebration at Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi Park

It was then a walk to Omote-sando and we found the street packed with a Halloween street parade. This was amazing as families all dressed up in halloween costumes and paraded up and down the street to the sound of music including a Scottish Highland Pipe Band would you believe. Crowds of people lined the street and everywhere to eat had queues outside waiting. We decided to return home before the peak hour.

Halloween, Japan style. A big street parade

Electric City Awaits Rob…
Today was our visit to Akihabara the electrical empire of Tokyo where you can spend a full day just looking at the latest electronics that take your fancy. Hundreds of stores dedicated to electronics, computers, animae and computer games. One store, Yodobashi has 12 floors of goods on display and almost every item you are free to play with at your leisure with nobody annoying you.

Yodabashi Electrical store. 12 floors of every electrical product imaginable

An Architectual Museum Worth A Visit ….
The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectual Museum in Koganai about 25 minutes from Shinjuku Station was an interesting day. This museum is set on acres of land and holds a huge display of houses through the feudal times to present day which have all been moved from original sites and reconstructed in the museum grounds. Each house can be entered and you can envisage through the ages how the Japanese people lived. There is also a township of different shops reconstructed on the streets to give the feel of the times gone by. It was a good half day of sightseeing.

Traditional bath house in the Edo Architectual Museum

View from the 45th floor of the Municipal Government Offices in Shinjuku

Our day ended with a visit to the Tokyo Municipal Government Towers at Shinjuku to see Tokyo and beyond from the 45th floor and then a walk around Shinjuku before heading home and packing to continue our travels.