We had planned our first full day in Kanazawa to visit an ancient village in the mountains called Shirakawa-go and a tour Kanazawa’s beautiful Kenrokuen Garden,  and the Higashiyama area where the Geisha still live and work.   We met our guide and bus at the train station for the hour + drive to Shirakawa-go.  It was a very rainy day,  but that does not stop anything in Japan.

Shirakawa-go village with the iconic thatched roofs and the multi-story houses was an amazing glimpse into Japanese agricultural and feudal history.   These people were farmers and warriors!  They planted rice and also made gunpowder!

We visited the inside of one of the 5 story houses, Kanda House,  to see something about the way of life for a hundred years! 

The upstairs display of implements and household tools, even woven shoes,  was interesting

We found a little ramen spot for lunch,  and it got us out of the train for a bit.

it was a lovely village,  even in the rain!

When we returned to Kanazawa,  we visited Kenrokuen Gardens,  one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Japan.   Number 3, our guide said!  the pink pond is cherry blossom petals floating! 

I was able to leave the group for a couple hours and see a chiropractor.   My back had been bothering me for about a week.  The group went on to Higashiyama area, a place you might recognize from a photo of us,  used in our blog and our ‘retirement’ card.   it is the Geisha district of Kanazawa.