Kanazawa Castle Park

Kanazawa Castle Park is one of Japan’s representative early modern castles and a symbol of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Kanazawa Castle Park was built on the ruins of Kanazawa Castle, the former residence of the Kaga Clan, and is attractive for its historical buildings and abundant nature.

Restored historical buildings such as the Hishi Yagura (water chestnut turret), Gojyumen Nagaya (row houses), and Hashizume-mon continuation turret, as well as beautiful stonewalls, adorn the park.

The park is also home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife, allowing visitors to enjoy nature observation and relaxing walks.

Beautiful scenery and interior attractions

The symbols of Kanazawa Castle Park, Hishi Yagura, Gojyumen Nagaya, and Hashizume-mon Tsugyogura, are not only the exterior but also the interior of the park.

The architecture, faithfully reproduced in the old-fashioned way, is powerful, and allows visitors to think about the history of the castle.

Other areas of the park are free of charge and spaciously maintained, allowing visitors to enjoy a leisurely stroll.

We also recommend taking a relaxing cup of tea at one of the rest area cafes while enjoying the view of the garden.

Visitors can also enjoy matcha green tea and original fresh confections while savoring the authentic atmosphere of the Gyokusenin Maru Garden.

A wealth of attractions - culture and nature together

The park features new attractions such as the reconstructed Kawakita Gate, Imoribori moat, and Hashizume Gate.

In addition, the Ishikawa Gate, Sanjuken Nagaya, and Tsurumaru Warehouse are designated as National Important Cultural Properties.

The park is also dotted with a variety of stone walls, whose variety can also be enjoyed.

The area where the castle tower once stood is now a lush forest where visitors can observe a variety of flora and fauna.

History of Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle was once the center of the Kaga Ikkyu Sect, known as the Oyama Gobo, and was rebuilt in 1580 by Morimasa Sakuma, a vassal of Nobunaga Oda.

Later, when Sakuma Morimasa was defeated, Maeda Toshiie took over the castle and had it extensively reconstructed on Takayama Ukon’s turf.

Thereafter, the castle became a stronghold of the Maeda family as a stronghold of the Kaga Hyakumangoku clan, and continued to be so until the Meiji period (1868-1912).

The entire castle ruins have been developed as a park, and the Kanazawa Castle Ruins are designated as a national historic site.

The characteristic circuits of the Hirayama Castle included the Honmaru, Ninomaru, Minomaru, Shinmaru, Kitanomaru, and Gyokuseninomaru.

The castle tower was destroyed by lightning in 1602 and was never rebuilt. Instead, a three-story turret was built.

This was due to the tension between the Kaga clan and the Edo shogunate at the time, which concerned the Tokugawa family and made it difficult to rebuild the keep, which symbolized the power of the feudal lords.

Ishikawa-mon Gate was designated as an important cultural property and is now familiar to citizens as the front gate of the park.

Kanazawa Castle Park is a charming spot where history and nature are in harmony.