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Pivot East: Japan
  • Wolpertinger Wanderings
  • Wolpertinger Wanderings

Pivot East: Japan

A 19-day adventure by Wolpertinger Wanderings. Read more
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  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Higashi Hongan-ji

    April 9 in Japan ☁️ 64 °F

    I jokingly called this Tokugawa Ieyasu 's spite temple. Established in 1602, Ieyasu split the Jodo Shinsu sect to lessen their power. The sect had previously challenged strongman Nobunaga, and had been slapped down. The side that gave in was rewarded by Nobunaga's successor, my boy Hideyoshi, with the Nishi Hongan-ji. Ieyasu gave the other faction the land to build this one, after wiping out Hideyoshi 's son. So, spite temple, but not really.Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Kanazawa Castle

    April 10 in Japan 🌧 68 °F

    Kanazawa, a city made rich and beautiful by the powerful Maeda family during the rule of the Tokugawas. The Maeda were the richest family in Early Modern Japan, controlling a vast amount of land and most of the gold leaf production.

    They were also smart and politically savvy. They knew the Tokugawas were extremely jealous of their power, and wouldn't hesitate to crush a perceived rival. So the took their wealth and invested in the arts, in beautifying the city, public works projects, and a really nice castle.

    That's where we're starting, with what's left of the castle after countless fires, seizure by the Meiji government when they decided to end feudal privileges, and its eventual loss through decay and misuse.

    Only some of the gardens and the first line defensive structure has been restored. They're working on the palace, and it sounds like it will be beautiful. There was a lot of information on how the castle was built and restored. Nice place.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Kanazawa Samurai District and lunch

    April 10 in Japan 🌧 68 °F

    Kanazawa day 1 part 2

    Lunch and the Samurai District

    Lunch was in a little local Iocal place that served the local specialty, jibuni, which is a duck stew with vegetables, and for good measure we got some tempura. It was all amazing. Will definitely have to learn to make it.

    Then on to the samurai district

    The Maeda were a rich and powerful family, with many retainers. The samurai class was divided into various ranks, much like European nobility. Each rank had its own duties and privileges. As the rule of the Tokugawas went on, the war fighting role of the samurai decreased, and they became administrators rather than warriors. Except of course, when it came to foreign wars.

    The samurai district still has its high walls, and many houses still bear the traditional gates. The shape of the gate, the size of the house, etc was determined by the owner's rank.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Samurai House

    April 10 in Japan 🌧 72 °F

    The house of a middle ranked samurai, including household goods. There's also a letter thanking one of the family for killing an important enemy and "bringing his head to us". Needless to say, Steve thought that was hysterical.

    It started raining really hard after the visit, so we went to a café and got some coffee, a black sesame latte, and gold leaf ice cream. Yes, you eat the gold leaf. It's a thing here, as over ninety percent of Japan's gold leaf comes from Kanazawa.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Curry and Crows

    April 10 in Japan 🌧 64 °F

    ...or maybe ravens. There always seem to be a lot of them around the Shinto Shrines, and this evening, a ton of them around the castle.

    Kanazawa curry for dinner, which is a darker, deeper version of regular Japanese curry. Really good. Ordered with the machine at Turban Curry.

    Night views around the castle park.

    Ishiura Shrine, with its adorable dog mascot, Kima-chan, and 101 torii gates. Also where Esteban Akula lost his hotel key card, but we found it on the rail the next day. So thank you, nice person.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Kenrouken Garden

    April 11 in Japan ☀️ 61 °F

    This garden was built by the Maeda family. It's considered one of the three grea gardens of Japan. Some of the highlights, several ponds, the oldest fountain in Japan, and a famous two legged lantern. And of course, acres of cultivated trees, flowers, paths, and bridges. Also, the Sakura are still in bloom.
    The garden was developed over centuries starting in 1620, and given its name in the 1800s as it embodied the six attributes of an ideal landscape: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, water, and panoramic views.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    The Geisha Districts

    April 11 in Japan ☀️ 64 °F

    Back to the Ishiura Shrine for day views and lunch (Japanese fried chicken, American long potatoes, and a dark chestnut beer), some cute snacks and two of the three Geisha/ Tea districts

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Shima geisha house

    April 11 in Japan ☀️ 64 °F

    We visited an okyia, which is/was, a house/business establishment where geisha/geiko something live, and often entertain. While it's not necessary to live in, it is apparently necessary to be registered with an okiya in order to do business.

    We visited the Ochiya Shima, which was built in 1820. Pictures come from the camera phone, as no regular cameras were allowed. Interesting information presented, though nothing I didn't know already.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Oyama Shrine

    April 11 in Japan ☀️ 61 °F

    The Oyama Shrine is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the first Maeda clan ruler of the Kaga domain. It was moved to its present location in 1873, and the front gate with the stained glass was constructed. Nice views of the sunset from the steps, but I missed the chance to get the sun going down in between the pillars.

    Also, some pizza and cheesecake. By this point, we needed some home comfort food, and since there was no biscuits and gravy or chicken and dumplings, well, pizza it was.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Takayama

    April 12 in Japan ☀️ 63 °F

    Takayama, a city on the edge of the Japanese Alps, has been a settled site since pre-historic time (the Jomon Period). It became a castle town during the Sengoku period, that time of warring states as Japan moved from one settled shogun-led rule to another. When the Tokugawas came to power ushering in the Edo Period, it fell under their direct control.

    Takayama was an important timber/ timber crafting town in the Edo period. Today, evidence of this is found in the Sanmachi district. Today, along with being a center of artisan craftsmanship, it’s the home of many sake breweries.

    We’re fortunate to have been able to plan our trip to be here for the first day of the Spring Festival. More to come on that.

    We made the train trip from Kanazawa, two trains switching at Gifu because I didn’t book the bus in time, and the quicker train ride was a no go due to bridge/ track damage. The views from the Hida Express were a lot nicer than the pictures show.

    Upon arrival in town, we immediately went and checked to see if there were bus tickets left to Tokyo on the day of arrival. Yay, there were. We stored our luggage and went to eat. Our choice: the local wagyu beef, Hida, which has become quite popular in Japan. We enjoyed it in what we were told is a more traditional way: cooked over a small ceramic stove, on a mulberry leaf, with miso paste. Along with some sake and plum wine, a good lunch, and a good way to start our time on this last part of our trip.

    And SNOW! Yay. Hope to see snow on the German Alps someday.

    We took a fairly hilly walk up to the Hida no Sato, an open air village. Details follow    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Hida no Sato Folk Village

    April 12 in Japan ☀️ 64 °F

    The village is compromised of some thirty traditional structures from all around Gifu Province, which were taken down for preservation when the vast network of dams for hydroelectric power were put in, and entire villages wiped out. Or so I read in the tourism propaganda.

    The structures had served a multitude of purposes, and reflect living standards of different classes. Some offer displays of regional crafts, mainly silk weaving and carpentry. Almost every dwelling place still contains the traditional sunken hearth, around which the living area of the home is arranged.

    Highly recommend, though if walking is an issue, maybe get a bus or cab up. It's a really steep walk.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Hida Village 2

    April 12 in Japan ☀️ 66 °F

    More from the museum, including pictures from the wedding house. A lot of these places seem to have an installation outlining the process of matchmaking/romance/contracting that goes into marriages from the time and period under consideration, as well as the material gifts and props that went along with all of it.Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Takayama Old Town

    April 12 in Japan ☁️ 66 °F

    Pictures from Takayama's historic center, including a visit to one of the many beautiful shrines, a hida wagyu burger (tasted great, highly recommend the little cash only stand by the bus station), and a picture of our oldest daughter's favorite alien.Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Shiroyama Park and Castle Ruins

    April 13 in Japan ☁️ 50 °F

    Early wake up, as usual, breakfast at the house, then we walked down to Shiroyama Park for a short hike. The goal, the castle ruins and not to be eaten by bears, or the other weird creature who is pictured along the trail. And yes, bears are a thing here, even in the city. Japan has been undergoing a spate of deadly bear attacks lately, but we saw a lot of elderly people heading up the trail, so hopefully we'll be safe.

    Just in case, though, we'll be sure to ring the bear warning bells they have everywhere. Come to think of it, maybe they're more of a come-and-get-it dinner kind of bell. Anyway...

    The park includes the remains of the castle built in 1588 by Kanamori Nagachika, whose family was awarded control of the area by our old friend, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It wasn't long before the Maeda family ended up with the area. However, as mentioned previously, the entire area came under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the castle was pulled down.

    Nice hike, pretty park, lots of hills and steps.

    The rather scary looking other creature on the signs turns out to be a Japanese serow, which isn't some sort of dog-wolf-bear hybrid thing, but rather a "goat-antelope". Sigh. Huge disappointment. And we didn't get eaten by bears.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler

    Takayama Retro Museum

    April 13 in Japan ☁️ 63 °F

    Next stop: the Hida Takayama Retro Museum, which features post war up until about the 1980s toys, games, and artifacts from every day life. Included are mock ups of a doctor's office and an elementary school classroom. It was reminiscent of a few places we visited in eastern Germany. They even had old video games you could play.Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Takayama Jin'ya

    April 13 in Japan ☁️ 68 °F

    Next stop, the Jin'ya, or as I've seen it called "the counting house". This was the main government building during the Edo period, when the area was directly administered by the shogunate. It was a combination of workplace, ceremonial center, and living space for the lead official. It also housed a jail, apparently.

    Today, you can tour the place. The explanation placards are very good. They also have a few displays of local pottery, tools from daily life, some art, and weapons.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Higashiyama Walking Course and Temple Trail

    April 13 in Japan ☁️ 75 °F

    After a nice lunch in another small restaurant, we did parts of these two walking courses on the edge of Takayama. Lots of hills, nice views, a few cemeteries and a lot of temples. We didn't visit all of them, because of the hills and steps. We're not as young as we used to be, and honestly, a little bit fat.

    Included are a few pictures of Daioji Temple, which has shrine dedicated to the Ten Gods of Hell. Paintings in the shrine are in some ways similar to European depictions of Hell, which I found quite interesting.

    We didn't take as many pictures on the walk. I think we were flagging a bit as the trip was drawing to a close.    Read more

  • Wolpertinger WanderingsPivot East: JapanTraveler
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    Takayama Day Two random pictures and lunch

    April 13 in Japan ☀️ 75 °F

    Just a few pictures from walking around the city on our way to and from our rental and between the sites. Also, lunch, which took place between the Jin'ya and the walking course. We stopped at a little place on one of the side streets. It was nice, very local I think. I had something with Hida beef and shrimp, Steve had the daily special: Hida beef hamburger with gravy. It didn't look very fancy, but the food was all hot and very tasty. Honestly, I don't think we've had one bad meal during this trip. We also stopped off to get some walnut cookies and pudding. Can't go without the afternoon coffee and cake/sweet snack tradition.

    Takayama is a beautiful place, and the entire region here looks to be as well. If we come back, I'd definitely like to get out into the mountains in Gifu.

    Had an early night (even for us) because tomorrow is festival day.    Read more

    Trip end
    April 17, 2026