Overnight at Kaga Onsen Birthday trip part 2

Kaga Onsen 加賀温泉
Kaga Onsen station is a short train journey away from Kanazawa. When you arrive at the station you are greeted by a golden Kannon statue looking over the station.

On the train on the way over I had some local ekiben. Ekiben are boxed meals, sold at major train stations. They come in handy on longer train journeys, and are a great way to try local specialities while travelling around the country. I miss these bento meals, and wish that the UK would get better at this kind of thing. Looking at all the sad looking sandwiches lined up on meal deal shelves in English shops, just makes me miss Japan even more!

Anyway.. Kaga Onsen... I chose to stay at Hoshi Ryokan, which is the second oldest hotel in the world, found in the year 718. It's in the Awazu onsen area of Kaga onsen, so I caught the onsen's free shuttle bus over to the ryokan. When I arrived, I took my shoes off, and was served matcha and wagashi (Japanese sweet) in the tearoom.
While planning this trip, I knew that I wanted a ryokan with a very typical traditional looking room with tatami mat flooring, sliding doors, and space for my futon on the floor. When I arrived at my room, I was amazed at how big it was! I have all this space to myself?!

The room looked out over the ryokan's gardens. When I arrived I was served green tea and rice crackers and then left to explore the room, and enjoy the hot spring baths.
Another thing I wanted my ryokan stay to have, was a rotenburo (outdoor bath). I went and relaxed in the baths for a while (I had it to myself), got changed into my yukata and went for dinner. Dinner is included at a lot of ryokan, and it's normally an elaborate meal with lots of small courses. The meal will be varied depending on the season.

I couldn't tell you what some of this food was, but it was delicious! I think I kept the menu, I'll upload a photo if I can find it.
When I got back to my room, my futon had been laid out ready for bed. The first time I slept on a futon on a tatami floor, I was shocked at how comfortable it was. The one at this hotel was just as comfortable.
The next morning before breakfast I went for a little wander around the hotel's gardens. These gardens are in the centre of the hotel, surrounded by the building. Everything is moss covered and there are koi fish in the ponds.

Breakfast was just as good as dinner!

I took this first photo, mostly to send to mum so she could laugh at how red my nose had got from being out in the sun.

Kanazawa Birthday trip part 1

Kanazawa 金沢
From the 26th April until 2nd May 2016, I decided to go on a solo trip for my Birthday.
I had already been in the Nishonomiya area for a few nights, so I took the train back to Osaka and got the Thunderbird Express service up to Kanazawa. Kanazawa has a unique station front area, with some interesting architecture at the entrance to the station.
I walked through the town towards Kanazawa Castle, and had a walk around the castle grounds and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden at the back.

Just across the road from the Ishikawa Gate of the castle is Kenrokuen Garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan. The garden has so many areas and features to walk around. The plants and trees grown in the garden allow it to be beautiful in different ways at different times of the year.
I wandered round the gardens, exploring everything I could, from the lake with pink flowers dotted around the edge, to giant tree with it's routes exposed. I also stopped at at the teahouse for matcha and wagashi (Japanese sweet), while looking out onto the gardens.

 The iconic main view in the garden, with the lantern made with two legs instead of one.