【4K Japan Walk】Visit historical sites Kenrokuen garden, popular with foreigners, and samurai house

This time’s walking area is Kenrokuen Garden and Nagamachi Samurai Residence in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. This area is popular among foreign tourists as it is an area where they can enjoy beautiful Japanese gardens and the townscape of the Edo period. Although the effects of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred in the prefecture on January 1, 2024 are still felt, Kanazawa’s beautiful townscape with an Edo-era atmosphere is still intact and tourists are returning. We would be happy if you would consider Kanazawa as one of your future travel destinations. I’ll be happy if you enjoy watching this video! If you liked this video, then please give it a thumbs up, subscribe. 【About Kenrokuen Garden】 Kenrokuen is an expansive Japanese-style strolling garden located next to Kanazawa Castle. Its blend of diverse garden elements has made it one of the most famous gardens in Japan. Kenrokuen, meaning “garden of the combined six,” is so named because it combines the six qualities of an ideal garden according to an ancient Chinese text, ordinarily difficult to achieve in the same garden. They are grouped into three pairs: spaciousness and seclusion, human artifice and the effects of age, water features and vistas. The garden’s appearance changes dramatically with the seasons. In spring, cherry blossoms form a pastel canopy over the walking path starting from the entrance facing Kanazawa Castle. In summer, carpets of green moss flourish in the woods below the pavilion on Yamazaki Hill. In autumn, the Japanese maples and zelkovas in the southeastern part of the garden burst into gold, crimson, and russet colors. In winter, gardeners tie up trees with bamboo and rope supports called yukizuri to help them weather the region’s heavy snowfall and maintain their painstakingly cultivated shape. The Maeda family, the rulers of the Kaga domain that included present-day Ishikawa, established a predecessor of Kenrokuen in the seventeenth century as the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle. It was originally much smaller, covering only the area around Renchimon Gate. Subsequent Maeda generations developed and expanded the garden through the mid-1800s. The garden opened to the public as Kenrokuen in 1874. 【About Nagamachi Samurai District】 Nagamachi is a well-preserved neighborhood of samurai houses. The cobblestone streets and tiled earthen walls are characteristic of wealthier samurai districts in Kanazawa during the Edo period (1603–1867). Explore the area’s picturesque canals and beautifully restored homes for a sense of what life was like for samurai of that time. During the Edo period, the Kaga domain (present-day Ishikawa and around) was extremely prosperous. This wealth enabled samurai of even moderate rank to build large, beautiful homes. The historic Nagamachi neighborhood was once home to some of these samurai families. The ruling Maeda family had all their samurai retainers reside in Kanazawa, so similar neighborhoods were once common around the city. After the domains’ lords ceded authority to the emperor in 1869, samurai families lost their source of income and privilege, and were ultimately forced to abandon or sell their homes. A few former-samurai houses and estates are open to the public today. One highlight is the Nomura Residence, once the estate of wealthy retainers to the Maeda family. Heirlooms on display include a full suit of samurai armor. The house has been awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide, in part for its inner garden with tranquil streams and a miniature waterfall. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 00:00:00 Opening 00:00:29 Higashi Chaya District 00:04:34 Asano River 00:09:07 Along the road where old buildings remain 00:14:33 Kanazawa Castle Park entrance 00:19:27 Kahoku-mon Gate 00:21:38 Ishikawa-mon Gate 00:24:39 Kenrokuen Garden entrance 00:29:46 Kasumigaike Pond 00:35:18 Big pine tree 00:40:57 Red dragonfly feels the arrival of autumn 00:44:06 Proceed downhill with moss-covered stone walls 00:45:49 Walk through the 101 torii gates of Ishiura Shrine 00:47:50 Walk through the aisles decorated with many omikuji 00:48:37 Ishiura Shrine, the oldest shrine in Kanazawa City 00:54:21 Red brick retro building 01:01:14 Nagamachi samurai residence area 01:05:00 Earthen wall and cobblestone road 01:08:09 Samurai House (Remains of the house of Nomura familiy) 01:13:48 The lush courtyard of Samurai House 01:16:49 Small garden 01:21:36 Samurai house wealth exhibition room 01:29:08 Remains of the house of Takada familiy 01:35:27 Ending -------------------------------------------------------------------- Filmed: September 1st, 2024 Weather: Cloudy Temperature: 32℃ / 89.6℉ #japan #japantravel #scenery #walkaround #walking #cityscape