Kaga Hakusan Area in Ishikawa Prefecture

Kaga Hakusan area is a part of the Hokuriku region in the south-western Ishikawa Prefecture. Ishikawa prefecture is an interesting part of Japan that many foreign tourists have not even heard of. That is unfortunate since this area holds immense natural beauty, rich history, and culture, and is famous across all of Japan for its first-class hot springs. My wish is to show you all the things that make this part so fascinating to me and to hopefully convince you to visit it during your trip across Japan. I have already written about Kaga/Hakusan area on my website so check that out as well!

Kaga Onsen

One of the best things about this area are its many renowned hot springs. The most famous one is the Kaga Onsen-kyo hot spring resort, which includes Yamashiro, Yamanaka, Katayamazu, and Awazu. It is surrounded by picturesque views of the coast and the majestic Mt. Haku, also known as Hakusan. 

Yamanaka Onsen

Yamanaka Onsen is the hot spring town nestled in the mountains, famous for its traditional culture of Yamanaka lacquerware. Daishoji River runs through the beautiful green Kakusenkei valley where many Japanese-style hotels with beautiful views of the river can be found. Yamanaka Onsen's hot spring waters are said to ease muscle and joint pain, speed up recovery from disease and improve one's health in general. If you are there, check out the Kikunoyu, Yamanaka's public bathhouse. 

Yamashiro Onsen

The healthy spring water of this town was discovered by the monk Gyoki during his pilgrimage to nearby Mount Hakusan over 1300 years ago. The gushing water is called "water for longevity." and can relieve muscle and joint pain as well as skin disease and digestion problems. I suggest you check out the public bathhouses in the center of town. They are called Soyu (public bath) and Ko-Soyu (old public bath). Ko-Soyu is interesting because it was built in the Meiji Period style.

Katayamazu Onsen

Katayamazu Onsen is a hot spring town along the shores of the Shibayamagata Lagoon which is famous for the great views its hot springs offer. This scenic view of the peaks of the Hakusan mountain range over Lake Shibayamagata is absolutely breathtaking. Another interesting thing about it is the fact that the lake changes color seven times a day! There are various other scenic points such as the 70-meter-high fountain and Ukimido, a hall that is lit up in the evening.

Awazu Onsen

The historical Awazu onsen area has been a hot springs resort since it opened 1,300 years ago and many inns are scattered about in the quiet mountains. Each inn has its own spring and so the water is fresh and thus famous for "beautifying hot water" that makes the skin soft. The town is home to Hoshi Ryokan. This famous ryokan was founded in 718 and is the world's oldest continuously running hotel.

 

There are quite a lot of places in the Kaga/Hakusan area to visit, and I already covered a lot of them in detail in my website post. However, there are many more interesting facts that you might want to know about these attractions. The first of these is the Komatsu Hikiyama Koryukan Miyossa. This facility was opened in May of 2013. Hikiyama is a type of traditional festival float that skilled craftsman from Komatsu City created. During the “Otabi Matsuri” festival Kabuki (Japanese classical dance-drama) is performed inside of the Hikiyama. This unique festival has been held every May for the past 250 years. At Miyossa, two of the Hikiyama are displayed and you can experience the exquisite beauty of the Hikiyama floats yourself. Various other activities are held as well, such as traditional Japanese music, dressing in Kabuki make-up and nails, traditional Japanese dance, and many other cultural activities. As you can see, this place is a must-visit for any true fan of Japanese culture. If you are more interested in technology, I have a perfect place for you as well! The Science Hills Komatsu is a science museum in Komatsu City, a famous manufacturing town. One of the highlights is an interactive exhibit called Wonderland. This exhibit links local industries with science education and helps everyone learn about this process. Another highlight is the programs shown at the dome-shaped 3D theater called 3D Studio, which is an innovative stereoscopic vision system. It is one of the largest 3D theaters in Japan. Many other events and interactive workshops take place there all year round so you won't miss out no matter when you come. A unique museum that you won't find in many places is the Nakaya Ukichiro Museum of Snow and Ice. This museum introduces the studies of the world-renown snow expert, Dr. Nakaya Ukichiro, from Katayamazu. Here you can learn details about snow and ice from the displays of crystals and experiments with diamond dust. Truly fascinating stuff!

Any visit to Japan would not be complete without good local food! And I am happy to tell you that you won't be disappointed with what Ishikawa Prefecture has to offer. Most people agree that the most famous and unique dish in this area is the snow crab. The snow crabs caught in the nearby sea have a unique sweet flavor. Especially the female crab, called Kobako-gani, the eggs and the crab butter are especially delicious. Another good one is the Fugunoko (globefish roe). This delicately flavored globefish roe is pickled in sake lees and produced only in this area. Also, Kabura zushi has been a delicacy of the Kaga district since the Edo era (1603-1867). This sushi consists of turnips and yellowtail pickled together with a good balance of sweet and sour. You can enjoy the crispy texture of the turnip with the fatty flavor of the yellowtail. If you like a different type of meat, wild duck dish is right for you. In the Kaga district, the hunting of wild duck, called “Sakaami-ryo,” has continued for a long time. The fat of the wild duck is of good quality and the flavor rustic. The high season is from November to February. Delicious sweets such as the Rakugan, Mizuame, and Manju are famous as well!

All in all, the Kaga/Hakusan area of Ishikawa Prefecture is a place you won't regret visiting. It is ideal if you like things such as onsen and great countryside, and want to evade the crowds of more popular areas. Check out the website of the Kaga Hakusan area and learn more!

Araya Totoan - Historic Establishment in Yamashiro Onsen

Araya Totoan - Historic Establishment in Yamashiro Onsen

Have you ever dreamt of traveling back in time to ancient Japan and living in that land of wonders, traveling across it, meeting great samurai warriors, great artists, and wise men? Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to do that. However, there is something that we can do to at least come close to that feeling. We can explore the traditional side of Japan and do our best to experience the culture and history from up close. One great way to do that is to stay at a prestigious and historic ryokan. One that suits that description ideally is the Araya Totoan whose history extends back to 1639. I have talked a great deal about this amazing ryokan and what it offers in my website post which you can check out here. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a bit more about the history and culture behind this unique place. 

Araya Totoan is located in Yamashiro Onsen, one of the best hot springs in the Hokuriku region, which was opened almost 1300 years ago. That put that in perspective, one of the most powerful countries in the world today, the USA, has only existed for a little over 200 years!

There is an anecdote about the origins of this hot spring that goes something like this:

On his pilgrimage to Sacred Mt. Hakusan, the high priest Gyoki found a purple cloud trail and headed towards it. He then spotted a crow that tended its wounded wing in a puddle. As he came closer he discovered that the puddle was actually a hot spring. The Araya Totoan sits on the exact spot described as the hot spring source in the Karasu-yu Legend, which is also the original source of Yamashiro Onsen.

In the initial years following its discovery, the hot spring was mainly used by local farmers. However, after a retired emperor that entered the priesthood ordered the construction of temple buildings there, Yamashiro Onsen became known throughout the country. Since that time, influential persons of each historical period have visited for therapeutic purposes, such as Akechi Mitsuhide and Maeda Toshiie, the latter being the first lord of Kaga-han.

The Araya Totoan also had its fair share of famous guests, among which were the members of the Imperial family and the famed artist Kitaoji Rosanjin. He was an artist who demonstrated his talent in a number of different arts, such as seal engraving, calligraphy, and painting. In addition to being a prolific artist in a number of areas, Kitaoji Rosanjin was also a famous ceramist. In the early part of the Taisho period (the early 1900s), while in his thirties and still relatively unknown as an artist, Rosanjin stayed at Yamashiro Onsen for about one year and studied under Seika. Today the Araya Totoan houses some of the works of Rosanjin, including a red decorated plate that is considered to be his first work of ceramic art, as well as a screen that portrays the Karasu (crow cawing at daybreak) connected to the history of Karasu-yu.

These are just some of the reasons why you should visit this prestigious traditional hotel. To find out more about it visit the website of the Araya Totman. You will not regret it!