Sliding out from Under the Kotatsu in Komatsu AN AFTERNOON EXPLORiNG A CiTY’S HiDDEN GEMS Katie Hawkins (Ishikawa)
Growing up in the Sonoran Desert located in the southwestern United States where 299 out of 365 days are sunny, I had no concept of seasons, apart from the changing leaves at the tail end of January, which quickly changed two weeks later for spring. I had always seen pictures of the beauty of fall leaves and a quiet winter snowfall. But to now live in Ishikawa prefecture, which receives an annual 186 centimeters (73.23 in) of precipitation annually, has been a challenging adjustment. I can count an aching back from shoveling snow, frozen toes, wet socks, and unending damp laundry on my frozen fingers. All that being said, this winter has brought a few days of heavy snowfall which has blanketed the quiet countryside in a winter wonderland. After dragging myself from the warmth underneath my kotatsu, I was able to explore some of the hidden gems of Komatsu, a city nestled in the southern part of Ishikawa near the foot of Mount Hakusan. 94 |
