Kenrokuen Tourist Association Naoto UDA, KANAZAWA EXPERT #6
KANAZAWA EXPERT” is a program that introduces artists, craftsmen, and other professionals in Kanazawa, a city with a long history of culture, who share their traditional skills and Kanazawa's history and culture with visitors. We will ask these people, who are also guides with a thorough knowledge of Kanazawa, about experiences that can only be had here and ways to enjoy Kanazawa.
This time, we interviewed Mr. Naoto UDA, the fourth generation owner of “Kenrokutei,” a restaurant in front of Japan's oldest fountain in Kenrokuen Garden, and the chairman of the Kenrokuen Tourism Association, who is making efforts to promote the charm of Kenrokuen Garden.
One of Japan's most famous gardens where you can feel the changing of the seasons
Kenrokuen Garden is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Ishikawa Prefecture. Please tell us about its charms.
Kenrokuen Garden is considered one of the most famous gardens in Japan along with Kairakuen Garden (Mito City) and Korakuen Garden (Okayama City). As one of the most representative gardens of the Edo period (1603-1868), Kenrokuen Garden was created over a long period of time by successive lords of the Kaga domain. The garden is designed in the “Kaiyushiki(strolling garden) ” style, making the most of the land to create a large pond, artificial mountains, pavilions, and teahouses, and allows visitors to enjoy the garden as a whole.
What kind of experiences have you had ?
All the tea stores in Kenrokuen have been passed down from one generation to the next, so I knew from an early age that I would naturally take over in the future. In 2018, I became the owner of Kenroku-tei, and in 2020, I became the chairman of the Kenrokuen Tourism Association. The most important task given to me is to spread the goodness and splendor of Kenrokuen Garden to as many people as possible and let them know about it.
Kenrokuen Garden is the most visited tourist spot in the three Hokuriku prefectures. In that sense, it is not good to be too self-conscious, but I am working with the mindset that Kenrokuen Garden will lead tourism in Hokuriku region, and the responsibility I have is very rewarding. I enjoy it because I keep coming up with new ideas that I want to try. My goal is to one day become the “director” of Kenrokuen Garden.
The more you know, the more interesting it is,
Communicating the “story” of Kenrokuen Garden
The Kenrokuen Tourism Association has professional guides and has recently begun offering a multi-lingual audio guide service. What are the key points of the guided tours (experiences) offered by the Kenrokuen Tourism Association?
There are two main types of guided tours (experiences). The first is a multilingual audio guide service that can be used anytime and anywhere with a single smartphone. The second is a special guided tour service provided by knowledgeable staff. The latter service is full of surprises and discoveries that cannot be found even if you search the Internet, so that even people who have been to Kenrokuen Garden many times can enjoy the park in a fresh way.
The Kenrokuen Tourism Association's primary focus is to convey the interesting aspects of the garden. Rather than just telling visitors about the park's representative spots, we provide guides based on the story of Kenrokuen's origins. For example, when we tell them that water used to flow through the garden to Kanazawa Castle using only water pressure and the difference in elevation, without pumps or other power sources, or that the straw rope used for snow hanging is chopped up and used as compost after use. They listened with great interest. In the future, we are planning to produce a guide that will allow visitors to experience a day in the life of a lord and a guide about the gardeners who maintain Kenrokuen Garden on a daily basis.
Kanazawa is a city that makes you shine.
What are the attractions of Kanazawa and what spots do you recommend?
Since Kanazawa was not damaged in the war, many buildings and spots from the olden days remain, and you can feel the history everywhere, such as Kenrokuen Garden, Higashi Chaya District, and the Nagamachi Samurai District, which is very attractive. Another thing is that Kanazawa is blessed with both seafood and mountain vegetables. I hope that visitors to Kanazawa will enjoy the food.
What does Kanazawa mean to you?
A city that makes me shine, I guess. It is no exaggeration to say that since I was born and raised as the fourth generation of “Kenrokutei,” Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa itself have become my life. The job of conveying the charms of Kanazawa to as many people as possible is very rewarding, and I feel that my life has been enriched by Kanazawa, and that is how I feel.
Naoto UDA, Kenrokuen Tourism Association
Born in 1974 as the fourth generation of “Kenrokutei”. After graduating from high school, he went on to a university in Tokyo. After working as a company employee, he made a U-turn in 2008. In 2018, he became the head of “Kenrokutei” restaurant. In 2020, he will serve as the chairman of Kenrokuen Tourism Association.
