i arrived in kanazawa at 7:30am. fortunately taro-san was there to pick me up! the air was a lot brisker, perhaps its cause i was in the country side. kanazawa is a traditional samurai city, with a gorgeous garden, a beautiful castle and a princess needing to be rescued. sorry wrong fairy tale.
onsen 101
taro and i headed straight to the onsen.
since i wanted to freshen up, it was perfect. japanese onsens are completely nude. so besides stripping down naked, you gotta shower and bath yourself before you enter. it was an experience. my travelling motto: when in ______, do like the ______ do! therefore, when in a japanese onsen, do like the japanese do and get buck naked!
since i wanted to freshen up, it was perfect. japanese onsens are completely nude. so besides stripping down naked, you gotta shower and bath yourself before you enter. it was an experience. my travelling motto: when in ______, do like the ______ do! therefore, when in a japanese onsen, do like the japanese do and get buck naked!
it was really nice to get all fresh and clean! supposedly, traditionally, japanese onsens were a place where the community would come together, chat and catch up (with the same sex that is). so its really interesting how they would go in completely naked. it is some what symbolic, being naked sheds all forms of status, masks or walls. you're as raw as you can be, and that's how you presented yourself to your community. isn't that the formula for good relationships? you come to the relationship with honesty, openness and you put away status, masks and walls.
for me, it was time to relax and chill. pretty much, time to hang lose!
for me, it was time to relax and chill. pretty much, time to hang lose!
ninja-dera
lunch time!
i got to play with my favorite japanese 4-year old - suzuko! when she was in los angeles, she would never talk or play with me. apparently, there's something in japan's water - she kept playing and talking with me. unfortunately, she kept speaking japanese. it was soo cute and funny. her mom, eiko sure has her hands full!
the soba was soo good. i was never a fan of soba, because i always felt that the noodles were too soft and weren't "q" enough. apparently i just havn't had good soba.
kenrokuen garden
chaya street
kanazawa is home to beautiful traditional tea streets. taro brought me to traditional kanazawa dining for dinner.
suzuko serving us!
post onsen, taro brought me to ninja-dera (ninja temple). to my disappointment, this temple wasn't where ninjas trained or worshiped. but, who wants to see a temple where ninjas trained or worshiped? instead, its called the ninja temple due to its many tricks, or booby-traps. pretty neat! sorry no pictures of inside the temple. that means you'll just have to go and visit.
the temple was out on the northern side of the castle. so back in the day, when invaders came, this temple was a strategic point to protect the castle, hence the various booby-traps.
lunch time!
i got to play with my favorite japanese 4-year old - suzuko! when she was in los angeles, she would never talk or play with me. apparently, there's something in japan's water - she kept playing and talking with me. unfortunately, she kept speaking japanese. it was soo cute and funny. her mom, eiko sure has her hands full!
the soba was soo good. i was never a fan of soba, because i always felt that the noodles were too soft and weren't "q" enough. apparently i just havn't had good soba.
kenrokuen garden
kenrokuen garden is one of the prettiest gardens in japan. the worst thing about my trip was the timing. its probably the ugliest season to go and visit japan. it was not blanketed in white powder, nor were the flowers in full bloom. but, this garden was still gorgeous!
japanese gardens are the epitome of tree manipulation.
think bonzai trees, but on a big normal trees
think bonzai trees, but on a big normal trees
so much for having nature takes it normal course. is there such a thing as beautiful manipulation?
kanazawa castle - more on that tomorrow!
some flowers.
my trip wasn't a complete disappointment in
the flower department...
my trip wasn't a complete disappointment in
the flower department...
chaya street
kanazawa is home to beautiful traditional tea streets. taro brought me to traditional kanazawa dining for dinner.
the streets were mesmerizing and full of character
our restaurant.
the scallops were soo good. they tasted very sweet! o-ishi!
suzuko serving us!
silly girl.
dear heavnely father, thank you so much for taro, eiko and suzuko. thank you for their hospitality and their friendship. lord i want to ask that you continue to bless them.
may you watch over taro at work. he has so many responsibilities, help him to do a good job for kanazawa. give him the strength to be a strong husband and a loving father at home.
i pray for eiko at home. i pray that she has wisdom in raising suzuko. may you also watch over her health, as a second one is on the way. may he/she bring them tremendous joy as well.
lastly, i pray for suzuko. may you grow her to be a woman, that knows you and loves you.
i don't know by what means possible, but i pray that they may come to know you and have eternal life through yous Son's blood. i thank you again for the time we had together, the discussions, the laughter and the memories. in Jesus name i pray, amen.
see you around suzuko!
may you watch over taro at work. he has so many responsibilities, help him to do a good job for kanazawa. give him the strength to be a strong husband and a loving father at home.
i pray for eiko at home. i pray that she has wisdom in raising suzuko. may you also watch over her health, as a second one is on the way. may he/she bring them tremendous joy as well.
lastly, i pray for suzuko. may you grow her to be a woman, that knows you and loves you.
i don't know by what means possible, but i pray that they may come to know you and have eternal life through yous Son's blood. i thank you again for the time we had together, the discussions, the laughter and the memories. in Jesus name i pray, amen.
see you around suzuko!
...i'll miss you. :)
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