Early November to mid-November is the best time for autumn colors in Kenrokuen garden.These photos are taken at Yamazakiyama hill.
November 1st is the day when gardeners start to build Yukitsuri in Kenrokuen garden. Yukitsuri is a sign that winter is around corner, winter feature in Kanazawa. Yukitsuri is a protection for branches of trees against heavy snow. Gardeners begin Yukitsuri at a a big pine tree, called Karasaki-no-matsu at first. Four cedar poles are set up at the pine tree. The highest pole is 15 meter-high. A gardener climbs a pole to the top, and throw down straw ropes tied to the pole top. About 100 to 200 ropes are thrown, and tied to branches of the pine tree in cooperation with other gardeners. 12 gardeners work together in cooperation. An aesthetic sense is also important to set up straw ropes. It is impressive to make them look circular cones like unfolding umbrellas. Please enjoy the photos I took on November 1,2013.
I encountered a rare scene at Kenrokuen garden when guiding tourists overseas. Gardeners were sweeping a streambed on March 26, 2012. They used bamboo brooms. Administrative office of the garden says it’s for removing algae and dirt on pebbles. Stream water comes 11 km upstream of the Saigawa river through tunnel and open canal. That’s why Alga grows thich within two to three days. If you let alga grow freely, it will stick to a pebble and become very difficult to remove. So, sweeping work is carried out separate two days every week.
A great writer Lafcadio Hearn, Japanese name Yakumo Koizumi, admired Japanese gardens, and wrote them in his book,” In a Japanese garden”. He rented this residence from the Negishi family, former middle class Samurai of Matsue Clan, and lived for about 5 months. This house has 3 gardens. This is South garden. Rocks, stepping stones. stone lamp, trees and others are all allocated as they were in the past.
West garden. The gardens of this house are dry landscale gardens. They are sit-and see style gardens.
North garden. The story says that when Yakumo saw a snake crawling from behind Dozo, a storehouse with thick earthen walls, and eating a frog, he felt pity. He placed meat on a plate taking from his meal, and put it on the stone steps in front of Dozo, then said , “Don’t eat a frog”. The story suggests a warm heart of Hearn.
View for South garden from reception room, which was used as bed room or living room by the Hearn family.
The desk and chair are replica. Hearn ordered to make this sort of desk and chair by his special order. Hearn lost his left eyesight in his boyhood days, and his right eyesight was very poor. He used this sort of tall desk to keep his face close to the books for reading and writing. Hearn was about 160 cm tall. Hearn used Horagai, a conch shell placed on the desk to call his family.
Hearn’s bust installed near the Matsue Castle moat.
Sazaeyama is a small artificial hill made by the soils, which came from when excavating Kasumiga-ike pond. It is 9 meters high from the ground. Gardners are working there.
Stone walls are built to prevent soils from falling.
A tiny bower shaped like an umbrelar is surrounded by bamboo hedges at the summit.
A memorial stone lantern is placed to dedicate to the 12th lord of the Maeda. Red and blue Tomuro stones are skillfully combined to form the stone lantern.
From the summit, you can command wide view of Kasumiga-ike pond and straw-roped Karasakinomatsu pine trees.
Red colored carp on the surface of the pond is identified.
A school of carps are swimming .
Carps swarm for bait.
Calm white snowy Hisago-ike pond gives serein and quiet atmosphere to visitors.
The lonely fountain is spurting out water surrounded with a pile of snow like a lonely dancer dancing alone.
Kasumiga-ike pond is reflecting Horai-jima island, where a legendary wizard is supposed to live enjoying immortality. Kotoji stone lantern shoulders white snow.
Karasakino-matsu pine is supported with straw ropes from heavy snow.
Garden laborers shovel show from the path.
Clouds move away and the sun shines. Snows on tall trees sparkle. A beautiful scene is beyond the expression of words. Some says ” Wow” ,which must be an appropriate word. Uchihashi-tei tea house protrudes into Kasumiga-ike pond.
Straw ropes are spread over crawling pine look like unfolding umbrellas.
A wide view is thrown into your sight.