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Hishi Yagura and the Gojikken Nagaya above the inner moat and stone walls, April 2019. They were rebuilt in wood in 2001.
ZaironCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Ishikawa · Kanazawa

Kanazawa Castle

金沢城

Kanazawa, Ishikawa

CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 36

What makes this castle distinctive

The roofs of the gates and turrets look silvery white because the tiles are wrapped in sheets of lead.

Why?

Kanazawa Castle's gates and turrets use namari-gawara, "lead tiles": wooden forms shaped like roof tiles and covered with lead sheets about 1.8 mm thick. Exposed to rain, the lead turns silvery white, and together with the white plaster walls and the grid-patterned namako walls it gives Kanazawa Castle its distinctive pale look.[5][3]

Three things not to miss

01
The two-story turret of the Ishikawa-mon gate, October 2024. Rebuilt in 1788, the gate is an Important Cultural Property. Its roof tiles are wooden forms covered in lead sheets.Alexkom000CC BY 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Ishikawa-mon, an original Edo-period gate

Where
The east side of the castle, at the Ishikawa-mon entrance facing Kenroku-en Garden.
What to look at
The masugata, a square courtyard enclosed by an outer gate, a gatehouse and a two-story turret; the lead-tiled roofs; and the stone walls inside, built in different styles.
Why it's interesting
This was the castle's rear gate, a masugata gate rebuilt in 1788 after the great fire of 1759. Ishikawa Prefecture says that only here and at the Otemon of Osaka Castle do all the buildings around a masugata survive from the Edo period. Inside the courtyard the walls are built two ways: finely cut stone straight ahead, roughly dressed stone to the left.[4][11][12]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideYou can walk through the gate for free. The interior opens on weekends and in peak seasons from April to November (9:30–15:30); it has steep stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.
02
Gyokusen'inmaru Garden, October 2018. The lords' private garden was recreated in 2015 based on excavations and old plans.Benh LIEU SONGCC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons

The "museum of stone walls"

Where
All around the castle, especially Gyokusen'inmaru Garden, the base of the Sanjukken Nagaya, and the north face of the Higashi-no-maru.
What to look at
The shikishi-tanzaku wall with a waterfall built into it, the reddish and bluish Tomuro stones, and how the building methods change from period to period.
Why it's interesting
Kanazawa has well-preserved stone walls from every period, from the 1590s to the end of the domain. The shikishi-tanzaku wall at Gyokusen'inmaru staggers square and tall rectangular stones and has a waterfall built into its top, and is considered a masterpiece that fuses castle masonry with garden design.[6][7][8]
Can you see it?
Partly visibleThe walls and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden can be seen for free during park hours. The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake collapsed five sections and deformed 23, and some are under repair.
03
Hishi Yagura and the Gojikken Nagaya above the inner moat and stone walls, April 2019. They were rebuilt in wood in 2001.ZaironCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Hishi Yagura and Gojikken Nagaya, rebuilt in wood

Where
The northeast corner of the Ninomaru, seen from the Sannomaru plaza.
What to look at
The three-story Hishi Yagura and Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura, the two-story Gojikken Nagaya joining them, and the timber framing and displays inside.
Why it's interesting
These buildings guarded the Ninomaru Palace and burned in an army fire in 1881. In 2001 they became the first buildings reconstructed in Kanazawa Castle Park, built in wood with traditional methods based on Meiji-era photographs, Edo-period plans and excavations. Hishi Yagura was a lookout tower overlooking the Sannomaru gates and the tallest building in the castle in the late Edo period.[9][13]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideThe exterior is free to view. The interior requires a ticket (9:00–16:30, last entry 16:00, open every day) and has a stair lift and an elevator.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station
from JR Kanazawa Station (by bus or taxi)
Climb
Some climbing
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1.5 hours for the main sights; 2–3 hours to include the building interiors and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden.
Admission
Adults 320 yen (groups 250), ages 6–17 100 yen (groups 80), preschoolers free. Free for those 65 and over with ID. Combined ticket with Kenroku-en 500 yen.
Hours
9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Access
Open to visitors

Kanazawa Castle Park is free and open every day. The interiors of Hishi Yagura, the Gojikken Nagaya and related buildings require a ticket, and Ishikawa-mon, the Sanjukken Nagaya and the Tsurumaru storehouse open only on special days. Drones are banned. The Japan 100 Castles stamp is at the Ishikawa-mon Information Center (park hours) and inside the Gojikken Nagaya (9:00–16:00).

Checked:

View on mapOpen in Google MapsKanazawa Castle Park (official site)Kanazawa Castle Park (English)

The story of this castle

01
Historical record

From a temple to a castle

The site first appears in history as the Kanazawa Mido, a temple that the Honganji sect is said to have founded in 1546. A temple town grew up around it, and it became the center of the faith for followers across Hokuriku. In 1580 Shibata Katsuie, a general under Oda Nobunaga, captured the temple, and Katsuie's nephew Sakuma Morimasa became the first lord of Kanazawa Castle.[1][14]

02
Historical record

Maeda Toshiie builds the castle

After the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, Maeda Toshiie, who had sided with Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi, took over Kanazawa Castle. He built a keep around 1586–87 and high stone walls around the main enclosure in 1592, developing the castle and its town in earnest. For about 300 years the Maeda family ruled the Kaga domain, rated at over a million koku of rice, from this castle.[1][14]

03
Scholarly interpretation

A great domain's castle without a keep

Toshiie's keep burned after a lightning strike in 1602. A three-tier turret replaced it, but after it too burned in the great fire of 1759 it was never rebuilt. The prefecture suggests that the Maeda, despite ruling the largest domain in Japan, chose not to rebuild a keep out of caution toward the Tokugawa shogunate, as they were tozama (outside) lords. After a fire in 1631, the third lord, Toshitsune, moved the castle's center from the main enclosure to the second enclosure and built the vast Ninomaru Palace, largely fixing the layout seen today.[3][1][28]

04
Historical record

Fire after fire

Kanazawa Castle suffered fire after fire. The great fire of 1759 destroyed more than 10,000 buildings in the town along with the main structures of all three enclosures, and a fire in the Ninomaru in 1808 burned the palace and Hishi Yagura. Each time the castle was rebuilt; Ishikawa-mon, rebuilt in 1788, and the Sanjukken Nagaya, rebuilt in 1858, survive today.[1][4][10]

05
Historical record

Three buildings left after an army fire

In the Meiji era the castle came under the army and was used as barracks. A fire in 1881 destroyed nearly all the palace buildings, gates and turrets, leaving only three Edo-period structures: Ishikawa-mon, the Sanjukken Nagaya and an earthen storehouse (Tsurumaru Soko). After the war, from 1949, the site was the campus of Kanazawa University, and when the university moved, Ishikawa Prefecture acquired the land in 1996.[1]

06
Historical record

Rebuilding piece by piece

Ishikawa Prefecture has developed the site as Kanazawa Castle Park, rebuilding with traditional methods and historical evidence: Hishi Yagura, the Gojikken Nagaya and Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura in 2001, Kahoku-mon in 2010, the inner Hashizume-mon gate and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden in 2015, and Nezumita-mon with its bridge in 2020. The castle site was designated a National Historic Site in 2008. Reconstruction of the Ninomaru Palace, the heart of the castle, is now under way, with the first phase aimed at completion around fiscal 2033. Repairs to stone walls damaged in the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake are also continuing.[9][15][16][7][14][17]

People of this castle

Timeline

  1. The Honganji's Kanazawa Mido temple is said to be founded[1]

  2. Maeda Toshiie takes over Kanazawa Castle[1]

  3. The keep burns after a lightning strike and is never rebuilt[3]

  4. After a fire, Toshitsune moves the castle's center to the Ninomaru[1]

  5. An army fire destroys most of the palace and turrets[1]

  6. The castle site becomes a National Historic Site[14]

  7. Nezumita-mon and its bridge are rebuilt after about 140 years[16]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Keep lost

The keep that Maeda Toshiie built around 1586–87 burned after a lightning strike in 1602 and was never rebuilt. The three-tier turret that replaced it burned in 1759 and was not rebuilt either. The keep's form and exact location are unknown.

The site today

The whole site is Ishikawa Prefecture's Kanazawa Castle Park, with three original Edo-period buildings (Important Cultural Properties) alongside turrets, gates and a garden rebuilt in wood. Kenroku-en Garden is next door to the east. Reconstruction of the Ninomaru Palace is under way.

Main buildings

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Ishikawa-mon gate

Masugata gate rebuilt in 1788. Designated in 1950.[4]

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Sanjukken Nagaya (long storehouse)

Two-story defensive storehouse rebuilt in 1858; the only surviving nagaya in the castle.[10][12]

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Earthen storehouse (Tsurumaru Soko)

Built in 1848 and designated in 2008; among the largest castle storehouses in Japan. Earthquake damage from 2024 was repaired by 2025.[18]

Rebuilt in wood

Hishi Yagura, Gojikken Nagaya, Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura

Rebuilt in wood in 2001; interior open with a ticket.[9]

Rebuilt in wood

Kahoku-mon gate

The castle's de facto main gate, rebuilt in wood in 2010.[15]

Rebuilt in wood

Hashizume-mon gate

Main gate of the Ninomaru; outer gate rebuilt in 2001, inner gate in 2015.[19]

Rebuilt in wood

Nezumita-mon gate and bridge

Completed in 2020; the gate is wooden, the bridge a steel structure clad in wood.[16]

Lost

Ninomaru Palace

Burned in 1881. The first phase (entrance and reception area) is being reconstructed.[17]

Key facts

Type
Castle
Setting
Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period
Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Keep lostthe castle had a keep, but it no longer stands (its stone base may remain)Editorial article
Built by
Maeda Toshiie, Sakuma MorimasaJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1580Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Maeda clanJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned
1871Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see
Gates, Turrets or turret bases, Stone walls, Moats, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Fortified gateways (koguchi)Editorial article
Designation
National Historic Site (Kanazawa Castle ruins) (2008); Important Cultural Properties (Ishikawa-mon, Sanjukken Nagaya) (1950); Important Cultural Property (Tsurumaru storehouse) (2008)Editorial article
Selection
Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 36Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Open to visitors

Kanazawa Castle Park is free and open every day. The interiors of Hishi Yagura, the Gojikken Nagaya and related buildings require a ticket, and Ishikawa-mon, the Sanjukken Nagaya and the Tsurumaru storehouse open only on special days. Drones are banned. The Japan 100 Castles stamp is at the Ishikawa-mon Information Center (park hours) and inside the Gojikken Nagaya (9:00–16:00).

Address

1-1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0937[2][20]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

JR Kanazawa Station (by bus or taxi)Hokuriku Shinkansen, IR Ishikawa Railway and others

Some climbing

Take a city bus to Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa-jo, then walk 5 minutes to the Ishikawa-mon entrance. Alternatively, it is 5 minutes from Hirosaka/21st Century Museum to the Gyokusen'inmaru entrance, or 5 minutes from Minamicho/Oyama Shrine to the Nezumita-mon entrance. A taxi from Kanazawa Station takes about 10 minutes.[20]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Hishi Yagura, Gojikken Nagaya, Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura and Hashizume-mon
Hours
9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed
Open every day
Admission
Adults 320 yen (groups 250), ages 6–17 100 yen (groups 80), preschoolers free. Free for those 65 and over with ID. Combined ticket with Kenroku-en 500 yen.[13]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Kahoku-mon and Nezumita-mon (interiors)
Hours
9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
Closed
Open every day
Admission
No fee listed on the official page (not confirmed)[13]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Special openings of the Important Cultural Properties (Ishikawa-mon, Sanjukken Nagaya, Tsurumaru storehouse)
Hours
9:30–15:30
Closed
Open only on weekends and in peak seasons from April to November
Admission
Not confirmed[12]
Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

About 20 minutes from Kanazawa-Morimoto IC, or 30 minutes from Kanazawa-Nishi or Kanazawa-Higashi IC on the Hokuriku Expressway. Use nearby paid lots such as Kenroku Parking (480 cars; 350 yen for the first hour).[20]

Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
March 1 – October 15: 7:00–18:00; October 16 – end of February: 8:00–17:00; open every day. Until 21:00 on night-opening days. Gates also open early in the morning before official hours (from 4:00–6:00 depending on the season).[21]Checked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1.5 hours for the main sights; 2–3 hours to include the building interiors and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden.
Steps, slopes and footing
There are many slopes in the park. The area around the Ishikawa-mon entrance is relatively flat; gravel paths run through areas such as the Honmaru grounds.[22]
Wheelchairs and strollers
The Ishikawa-mon entrance is easiest for wheelchairs; use the Gyokusen'inmaru entrance for that garden. Wheelchairs can be borrowed, and indoor wheelchairs are lent free inside the rebuilt buildings, which have a stair lift and elevator. The special openings of the original buildings are not wheelchair accessible.[22][23][9][12]Checked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
Multipurpose toilets (with ostomate facilities) are near Kahoku-mon, inside the Tsurunomaru Rest House and near Gyokusen-an.[23]
English signs / audio guide
The official site has an English version. Free volunteer guides in English and other languages are available almost every day except the New Year holidays, at the Ishikawa-mon rest house and Gyokusen-an. Japanese-language volunteer guides are also free.[2][24]
Seasons
On Saturdays and in peak seasons such as cherry blossom time, the park stays open at night with the Sannomaru buildings and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden lit up. The outer walls and buildings are lit every day from sunset to 22:00.[25]
Photography
Drones of any size are banned. The official FAQ covers video and souvenir photography (details not confirmed).[23]
Works, closures and restrictions
Stone walls damaged in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake are being restored; a viewing route at the Imori Moat area, where the stones are surveyed and stored, has been open since July 19, 2025. The Ninomaru Palace is being rebuilt inside a temporary enclosure.[7][17]Checked: 2026-10-03

Around the castle

Garden

Kenroku-en Garden

The castle's outer garden, a daimyo garden right across from Ishikawa-mon. The prefecture explains it was used for entertaining guests, while Gyokusen'inmaru inside the castle was the lords' private garden.[26][8]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

For anyone who wants to see both an original Edo-period gate and carefully researched wooden reconstructions, stone wall enthusiasts, and visitors combining the castle with Kenroku-en. The park is free and opens early in the morning.

What makes it interesting

Start at Ishikawa-mon with its lead-tiled roofs and the change in wall styles inside the courtyard. From the Sannomaru plaza you can take in the long white walls of Hishi Yagura and the Gojikken Nagaya, and inside you can study the traditional timber framing. Finish at Gyokusen'inmaru Garden and look for the shikishi-tanzaku wall with its built-in waterfall.

Before you go

There has been no keep since the early Edo period. The park has many slopes. The three original buildings open inside only on special days. Repairs to quake-damaged walls and reconstruction of the Ninomaru Palace are under way.

Ways to enjoy it

Join one of the free volunteer guides to catch easily missed details such as masons' marks and changes in wall style. On Saturday nights, the park stays open and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden is lit up.

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Open questions

Sources

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Listing status

  1. Candidate foundChecked
  2. Confirmed as a castle siteChecked
  3. Basic informationChecked
  4. In-depth articleChecked
  5. Photo rights checkedChecked
  6. Visit info checkedChecked

Castles nearby

Tako Castle5.9 km · Not yet confirmedKiriyama Castle8.6 km · No keep recordedMatsutto Castle9.4 km · Not yet confirmedKaga Asahiyama Castle11.7 km · No keep recordedMatsune Castle12.5 km · Not yet confirmedSukazaka Training Hall12.8 km · No keep recorded

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