Japanese Culture

Nestled along the western coast of Japan, Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is a great example of modern Japan settling side-by-side with its history. It is a city that retains much of its classic samurai-era charm through its labyrinthine and meticulously preserved historical districts. It is also a city of surprisingly pastoral beauty, thanks to the famed landscaped gardens of Kenrokuen Garden. At the same time, due to its world-class contemporary art museum, it is also a Mecca of modern art. All of this and much more make Kanazawa an excellent destination for a day trip from Nagoya. Kenrokuen Garden Right in the center of Kanazawa, you can find the serene and beautiful oasis that is Kenrokuen Garden. Kenrokuen literally means ‘Garden of the Six Sublimities’, relating to Chinese landscape theory that the six attributes of seclusion, antiquity, spaciousness, artificiality, abundant water, and broad views, are required to create a perfect garden, and all are very much in abundance here. Constructed by the ruling Maeda clan between the 1620s and 1840s, this 25-acre sprawling garden is considered to be one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan.” Thanks to its variety of flowering trees, it is stunning in all seasons, particularly…