Kenroku-en
With a name like that you wouldn’t expect a garden.
But that is what it actually is.
Kanazawa is a city on the coast, mainly known for their skill in producing gold sheets and for Kenroku-en, which is considered the third most beautiful garden in all of Japan. It might seem strange to class gardens by their beauty; but, in case you are wondering which the other two are, they are Kairaku-en in Mito and Kōraku-en in Okayama.
What is so special about this garden?
This garden is quite old, and the trees that grow in it were chosen specifically to be planted here and are continuously being monitored to improve their growth. Some of these trees have had supports installed in order to prevent their branches from breaking.
When winter arrives, structures in the form of umbrellas are installed over the main trees to protect them from too much snow accumulating on their branches.
In short, Kenroku-en is one of those places where you can walk peacefully around just to admire the beauty of the site.
It is almost ironic to think that we as human beings can be so nice to some trees and torture others (like bonsais for instance).
The Kenroku-en is in downtown Kanazawa, next to Kanazawa Castle, and it is open from 9:00 to 17:30. A lot of visitors should be expected, so if you want to have a more calm experience, try going soon after opening or just before closing.