Rkidz's Japan Travel Blog - Day 13: Around the Tokyo Alps using the Shinkansen

Day 13.
Japan Alps round trip: Tokyo-Kanazawa-Maibara-back to Tokyo.




Basically, I don't know where else to go after almost 2 weeks of budget travelling around Japan. I thought that I might as well spend the rest of the day riding the Shinkansen so that my JR pass would totally be worth it. I've decided to go around the Japan Alps. For that, I rode the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen and headed north to Kanazawa. The view along the mountainous track is a sight to behold.

Afterwards, I stopped at Kanazawa and enjoyed a lovely day walk at one of Japan's famous garden; Kenrokuen. The Kenrokuen is justifiably classified as one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens. The spacious grounds used to be the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle and feature a variety of flowering trees which provide the garden with a different look for each season. Entrance fee is only 310 yen and there was a shuttle bus heading to the garden by the Kanazawa station which is really convenient. The name Kenrokuen literally means "Garden of the Six Sublimities", referring to spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views. The garden grounds are teeming with water features, bridges, teahouses, trees, flowers, stones, viewpoints and hidden nooks to discover. It is simply a magnificent, classic Japanese garden.

Later in the day, I planned to go to back to Kyoto. Unfortunately, it seems like I wouldn't make it in time so I had to take the train to Maibara then back to Tokyo. I somehow managed to catch the last train thankfully. Overall,it was a nice relaxing trip mostly spent inside trains.

Next up, back to Akiba and I guess the end of my Japan trip.