Kenrokuen

Written by: adekun on 6 December, 2009 4:37 pm - Filed under: japan

Across from the castle, Kenrokuen, for me was all the more appealing. Quite at odds to how I felt in Kyoto at Ryōan-ji; vivid colours (even under the bleak sky), countless trees and water features. Perhaps the sky made a good contrast for the gold and deep red leaves.
The park offers a good opportunity to see a technique called yukitsuri. Trees in need of protection the heavy snow, are supported with a conical array of rope. Some are given further help with bamboo struts.

The garden was Kenrokuen in 1882. Lord of Shirakawa Domain in Oshu, Matsudaira Sadanobu was asked to name it by the 12th Lord Narinaga. It is thought that he got the name from Rakuyo Meinki, a classical Chinese book about the famous gardens of Luoyang. Literally, it means “garden with six sublimities”, and these are spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water-courses and panoramas.

Quote: Kanazawa Castle Park & Kenrokuen Garden Management Office

There was even a cherry tree in bloom. My only disappointment was that we had to hurry through.

Tags: ishikawa, japan, travel