Kanazawa: Kenrokuen.

Took an overnight trip to Kanazawa--a city sometimes referred to as "little Kyoto"--during Golden Week. I'm not sure it lived up to its title, but it does have a beautiful garden which is ranked as one of the top 3 in Japan, based on these six elements: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, waterways, and panoramas. I don't know how they judge that, or even who judges that, but it just seems so very Japanese to me. love it.