Kanazawa Castle in Ishikawa Prefecture

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Facts & Figures

Kanazawa Castle, also known as Oyama-jo, is a classic hilltop castle located in the center of Kanazawa City. It features large, beautiful stone walls and a well-preserved samurai quarter. Designated a National Historic Site, the castle includes Important Cultural Properties such as the Ishikawa-mon Gate and Sanjukken Nagaya (an old storehouse). The famous Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s most beautiful landscape gardens, is located nearby. In the past, the castle had a massive six-story main keep, but it unfortunately burned down in 1602 and was never rebuilt. Notably, the castle’s fireproof white roof tiles are made of lead. The surrounding park and several castle structures are open to the public and can be visited for free. A major highlight since 2001 is the reconstruction of three key buildings: the Hishi Yagura (watchtower), Gojukken Nagaya (a long storehouse for weapons), and Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura (another watchtower). This two-year project marked one of the largest wooden structures built in Japan since 1912.

• Kanazawa Castle Grounds:
• Opening Hours - 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (March 1st till October 15th)
• Opening Hours - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (October 15th till end of February)
• Open - whole year
• Admission Fee - free

• Hishi Yagura, Gojikken Nagaya, and Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura:
• Opening Hours - 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (last entry 4:00 pm)
• Open - whole year
• Admission Fee - 310 yen (Adults), 100 yen (Children 6 - 17)

My tips for local activities

Explore the best parts of Kanazawa with a local guide. The tour can take 4 or 6-hours. Check out this page > for more details.

History

Kanazawa Castle has been destroyed by fire several times throughout its history. The main keep burned down in 1602 and was never rebuilt. The Great Kanazawa Fire of 1759 destroyed nearly all of the castle’s remaining structures. In 1881, it burned down for the last time. The foundations of the castle were laid in 1580 by Sakuma Morimasa (1554 – 1583). After the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, the famous general Maeda Toshiie (1538 – 1599) took control of the site and began expanding the castle grounds. His family ruled the Kaga region, including Kanazawa, for 14 generations from the Sengoku period (1467 – 1590) through the Edo period (1603 – 1868). This legacy ended with the Meiji Restoration. Later, the castle grounds were used by the military. Until the early 1990s, the site was occupied by Kanazawa University. In 1996, the local government assumed control of the area. Since then, numerous projects have been launched to reconstruct the castle’s historic structures, including a small pond garden and the Hashizume-mon Gate. In 2008, Kanazawa Castle was officially designated a National Historic Site, and in 2010, the reconstruction of the Kahoku-mon Gate was completed.

Sightseeing spots

Top:

Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura Turret - The turret is three stories high and was designed to guard the central area of the castle grounds.

Reconstructed Gates - Several gates have been rebuilt in recent years, including the Kahoku-mon Gate (the castle's main gate) in 2010, the Hashizume-mon Gate in 2015, and the Nezumita-mon Gate in 2020.

Gyokuseninmaru Garden - The beautiful garden, added to the castle grounds in 2015, features a central pond, a scenic waterfall, the Gyokusen-an Teahouse, and nice walking trails.

Most impressive parts of the castle - These include the Hishi Yagura (watchtower), the Gojukken Nagaya (a long storehouse for weapons), and the Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki Yagura (watchtower). Reconstructed in 2001, these three structures can be visited for a small fee. From the top of one of the turrets, visitors can enjoy a stunning view over the city of Kanazawa and the nearby Kenrokuen Garden.

Ishikawa-mon Gate - The gate was reconstructed after a fire in 1788 and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.

Nezumitamon Bridge - Completed in 2020, the bridge connects the castle to the Oyama-jinja Shrine.

Sanjikken Nagaya - The storehouse and weapons depot were rebuilt in 1858.

Kanazawa Castle Park - This large park in the heart of Kanazawa is very popular with both locals and tourists.

Kenrokuen Garden - It is one of the country’s finest traditional-style landscape gardens. Read more >

Festival & Events (dates can change without notice)

February

Winter Light-Up at Kenrokuen Garden (28th - 5th)
Enjoy the illumination of the garden till 9pm.

April/May

Kenrokuen Garden's beautiful illumination during cherry blossom period (28th - 5th)
The garden is illuminated from 6pm to 9:30pm.

June

Hyakumangoku Matsuri (last 3 days, peak first Saturday in June)
The Hyakumangoku Matsuri is the largest and most famous annual festival in the city of Kanazawa and throughout Ishikawa Prefecture. The absolute highlight is the magnificent Hyakumangoku Parade, which takes place during the festival and runs from Kanazawa Station to Kanazawa Castle Park. It attracts large crowds of both tourists and locals. The festival commemorates the entry of Lord Maeda Toshiie into Kanazawa Castle in 1583.