Cathay Pacific says that 3rd Aril 2019 will be the date to say "konnichiwa" to Komatsu when the company starts its new route to Japan.
The route is scheduled to operate on a seasonal basis running from 3rd April 2019 until 26th October and is scheduled to fly twice each week on Airbus A330 Cathay Dragon aircraft. The flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a proposed departure time of 0945 from Hong Kong, landing in Komatsu at 1455. The return sector has a departure timed to leave at 1630 and land back in Hong Kong at 2000.
Komatsu, in Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture, is considered to be ideal gateway to the historic Hokuriku region and the perfect entry point for those wishing to explore the historic attractions, the mountainous landscapes, the wild coastlines. The area is rapidly growing in popularity from both regional and international tourists, with many hot-spots that border the Sea of Japan.
If good things come in threes, then travelling to Japan's historic Hokuriku region, along the country's central west coast, should exceed all expectations. From the country's third holiest mountain, Mount Haku, to historic Kanazawa's pristinely kept Kenrokuen gardens, considered one of Japan's three most beautiful, you'll uncover a wealth of heritage and scenic splendours across the region's three attractive prefectures – Ishikawa, Toyama, and Fukui.
The biggest attraction in the region is Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa and a former feudal stronghold which has retained much of its traditional architecture, culture, and its iconic Castle Park. You'll find museums aplenty, dedicated to crafts, samurai, and even gold leaf (Kanazawa means 'gold swamp' in Japanese).
The new flights are scheduled to fly twice a week during the summer from the start of April until the end of October.
Known throughout Japan as one of the country's top three gardens, Kenrokuen is a ‘strolling-style’ landscaped garden started during the Edo period. The grounds were extended by subsequent feudal lords, and today locals and tourists alike amble contemplatively along its manicured ponds and hills. The beauty of the gardens is well known around the world and the new service from Hong Kong will greatly enhance options for horticultural fans to experience the sights in person.
If immersing yourself into Japanese garden culture, you should sample from the local traditions – take a tea rest at one of Kenrokuen’s many tea houses, and pair your drink with dango (sweet dumplings made from pounded rice, similar to mochi).
Kanazawa is famous for its freshly caught seafood – particularly its snow crabs – which are sweet and flavourful. Savour the many ways of preparing local crab dishes – steamed in stone stoves, hot boiled, char-grilled, or even marinated in sake – at one of the many authentic restaurants in town
From the Sea of Japan rises an incredible landscape along the Noto Peninsula. This is the Japanese Ganmon (gate door), and Hatago Iwa, a duo of islands connected by a sacred Shinto rope.
Landscape photographers will rejoice with possibilities when reaching the steep, seaside slopes of Wajima's One Thousand Rice Paddies. The verdant terraces have been designated a ‘Special Place of Scenic Beauty’ – where the rice farming has been done by hand for generations – with a plethora of vantage points for exquisite day time and sunset photography.
With the majestic Hakusan mountain range as backdrop, the nearby historic villages of Shirakawa and Gokayama – both part of a UNESCO World Heritage site – offer a picturesque setting. Dotted in the landscape are Edo-period farmhouses, with their distinctive rooftops, where mulberry trees and silkworms were traditionally cultivated.While Komatsu is mostly a gateway to Ishikawa and the wider Hokuriku region, the city offers the scenic Natadera temple – and its landscaped grounds – which is a short drive from Komatsu Airport, and provides a suitably stunning finale (or introduction) to your trip.
With Komatsu, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon will fly to a total of nine airports in eight cities across Japan – for more than 150 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Japan during the peak summer months.
(Images from Cathay Pacific)
