After my time in Niigata, Japan, I arrived in the town of Kanazawa. Once again, I found myself in an unfamiliar place, but if anything, that only added to my excitement.

After checking into my hotel and grabbing my camera, I headed out to find something to eat. I ended up in an empty Vietnamese restaurant, where I somehow ate enough for three people. Afterward, I went back and took a short nap before heading out again later that night, just to see what I could find.

I walked for a couple of miles before coming across a bar called “PARADISE BAR.” It was completely empty, which made sense since it was a Tuesday night, but I was on vacation and wanted a drink, so I went in anyway. It ended up being just me and the owner. His name was Katsumi, and he was a genuinely good guy.

We communicated through Google Translate and ended up talking about all sorts of things. At one point, he even let me choose the music playing in the bar. Eventually, he told me about Japan’s three “perfect gardens” and mentioned that one of them, Kenroku-en, was right there in Kanazawa. He told me I should go take photos and come back the next day to show him.

So I did.

The next day, I made my way through the town, taking in the fall scenery around Kanazawa Castle before heading toward Kenroku-en. The garden felt calm and balanced, filled with bright greens and carefully placed details. Everything looked intentional. Even with my limited photography skills at the time, it felt almost impossible to take a bad photo. I did not stay long, but the time I spent there stuck with me.

Later that night, I went back to see Katsumi. Once again, it was just the two of us. I showed him the photos, and he was genuinely happy to see them. We played some music, had a few drinks, and eventually said goodbye.

I am grateful that I met Katsumi. I hope he is doing well.