Kanazawa and Wajima
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"The gardens of the shrine incorporate the usual Japanese beauty for these places, the ponds, flowing stream and cool shade on a very hot day".
Kanazawa is UNESCOs Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. As our visit on this occasion has to be brief, we chose to visit the Oyama Shrine and the Kenrokuen Garden, both adjacent to Kanazawa Castle.
The Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) was built in 1599 and later moved to its present location. Our hotel is 200 metres away so the walk to the shrine is a quick one.
The gardens of the shrine incorporate the usual Japanese beauty for these places, the ponds, flowing stream and cool shade on a very hot day.
Here there are also carp, domesticated and known as Koi, as usual in all colours, this time they are gigantic. Size probably means they are old and domestic carp in Japan can live for a very long time and 100 years is not uncommon.
Kenrokuen Garden is also a very beautiful place to be in. We wished we had more time here to reflect in its ponds and stroll its tranquil paths.
In Japan, that likes to measure these things, it is regarded as one of three most beautiful gardens in Japan by harmonising its landscapes and retaining its contrasts.
In Japan a perfect garden is classified by the six Chinese principles from the Book of Chinese Gardens. These six things in their traditional complementary pairs are; watercourses and panoramas, spaciousness and seclusion and artifice and antiquity and hence, Kenrokuen, which means having these six overlapping attributes or virtues.
It is here that we meet a friend, yet another Japanese Rat Snake (Elaphe climacophora), hunting for a meal. This time the snake is very large.
Now we go north again and in Wajima we visit the Wajima Lacquerware Museum and its collection of masterpieces, much made in the town. Local research indicates that Urushi production dates back to medieval times and is likely to have been produced in the town as early as the Muromachi Period between 1333 and 1573. It is likely that a combination of location, that is a port, skilled monks originally making lacquerware to meet demand from Japanese Zen Monastries for such objects, as well as the availability of materials including the local cypress and the all important Urushi Tree, enabled the development of great craft skills in and around Wajima. These things allowed the craft to flourish through the centuries and decorated objects of great beauty and value were created in the town, some taking many years to complete.
In 1967 Matsuda Gonroku, a master of the art of lacquerware founded the Ishikawa Prefectural Institute of Wajima Lacquer Arts so that the techniques and knowledge about lacquerware production would be secured for future generations of artisans. The Institute provides the four areas of study required to master the art of lacquerware production, namely Soji (woodwork), Kyushitsu (lacquering), Makie (lacquer ornamentation techniques) and Chinkin(lacquer ornamentation by carving).
Among the teachers are Living National Treasures with knowledge and skills to precious to lose.
The Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) was built in 1599 and later moved to its present location. Our hotel is 200 metres away so the walk to the shrine is a quick one.
The gardens of the shrine incorporate the usual Japanese beauty for these places, the ponds, flowing stream and cool shade on a very hot day.
Here there are also carp, domesticated and known as Koi, as usual in all colours, this time they are gigantic. Size probably means they are old and domestic carp in Japan can live for a very long time and 100 years is not uncommon.
Kenrokuen Garden is also a very beautiful place to be in. We wished we had more time here to reflect in its ponds and stroll its tranquil paths.
In Japan, that likes to measure these things, it is regarded as one of three most beautiful gardens in Japan by harmonising its landscapes and retaining its contrasts.
In Japan a perfect garden is classified by the six Chinese principles from the Book of Chinese Gardens. These six things in their traditional complementary pairs are; watercourses and panoramas, spaciousness and seclusion and artifice and antiquity and hence, Kenrokuen, which means having these six overlapping attributes or virtues.
It is here that we meet a friend, yet another Japanese Rat Snake (Elaphe climacophora), hunting for a meal. This time the snake is very large.
Now we go north again and in Wajima we visit the Wajima Lacquerware Museum and its collection of masterpieces, much made in the town. Local research indicates that Urushi production dates back to medieval times and is likely to have been produced in the town as early as the Muromachi Period between 1333 and 1573. It is likely that a combination of location, that is a port, skilled monks originally making lacquerware to meet demand from Japanese Zen Monastries for such objects, as well as the availability of materials including the local cypress and the all important Urushi Tree, enabled the development of great craft skills in and around Wajima. These things allowed the craft to flourish through the centuries and decorated objects of great beauty and value were created in the town, some taking many years to complete.
In 1967 Matsuda Gonroku, a master of the art of lacquerware founded the Ishikawa Prefectural Institute of Wajima Lacquer Arts so that the techniques and knowledge about lacquerware production would be secured for future generations of artisans. The Institute provides the four areas of study required to master the art of lacquerware production, namely Soji (woodwork), Kyushitsu (lacquering), Makie (lacquer ornamentation techniques) and Chinkin(lacquer ornamentation by carving).
Among the teachers are Living National Treasures with knowledge and skills to precious to lose.
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