Kanazawa Castle is More Than Just a Castle

When you visit Kanazawa, you will definitely visit Kenrokuen Garden. And right next to it, you will find Kanazawa Castle. For many visitors, the castle is simply another beautiful historical spot to check off their list. But Kanazawa Castle is much more interesting than that.

It has an interesting history, and what you see today is actually only the latest chapter of its story.

I have lived in Kanazawa for almost 30 years, and one of the things I find fascinating about this city is how the past and present are mixed together. Kanazawa Castle is a perfect example.

From a Religious Center to a Castle

Before there was a Kanazawa Castle, there was a temple.

In the 16th century, this area was home to a powerful Buddhist community. A temple called Kanazawa Mido was established here in 1546, and the surrounding area developed into a religious town.

In 1580, the temple was defeated by the forces of Oda Nobunaga, and a castle was built on the site. Then, Maeda Toshiie entered Kanazawa Castle in 1584.

This was the beginning of Kanazawa’s history as the center of the powerful Kaga Domain.

Maeda Toshiie and his family ruled this area for almost 300 years, until the end of the Edo period. The Maeda family was one of the most powerful feudal lords in Japan. The domain was known as Kaga Hyakumangoku, literally “one million koku of rice”, which means huge amount of money.  Even today, people use the term “Kaga Hyakumangoku” to express its rich culture.

Because of this wealth, Tokugawa Shogunate was suspicious of the Maeda Clan. So, the Maeda family did not spend its money on military force. Instead, they invested heavily in culture and traditional crafts. Yes, beautiful things!

That is one of the reasons Kanazawa is still famous for gold leaf, lacquerware, Kaga Yuzen, tea ceremony, Noh theater, and many other traditional arts.

In other words, if you want to understand Kanazawa’s culture, you should start with Kanazawa Castle.

A Castle That Kept Changing

One interesting thing about Kanazawa Castle is that there is actually very little of the original castle left. The castle suffered several major fires over the centuries. Today, the Ishikawa Gate is one of the three surviving structures. The current gate was rebuilt in 1788 and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

When you walk through the gate, take a moment to look at the stone walls. You will notice that they don’t look the same. That’s because the stone walls were built and rebuilt at different times using different techniques. Actually it is weird. And even people during the Edo period said “it’s weird to have different types of stonewall next to each other!”. But, here it is. Kanazawa Castle is sometimes described as a kind of “museum of stone walls.” There we go.

And Then… It Became a University

This is probably the part of the castle’s history that surprises many visitors. After the Meiji Restoration, the former castle grounds were used by the military.

And later, the site became a university campus. Yes, a university campus.

Until 1995, Kanazawa University campus was right here. When I show visitors old photographs of this area, they are often surprised to see how different it looked. The castle grounds were not always a beautiful historical park filled with restored traditional buildings.

I know some people who used to be University students here. They seem to be so proud.

Then, in 1995, Kanazawa University moved its campus to the suburbs, and the site eventually began a new chapter as Kanazawa Castle Park.

Bringing the Castle Back to Life

If you visit Kanazawa Castle today, you might see the construction work is going on.

The restoration projects use historical drawings, documents, archaeological research, and traditional construction techniques to recreate the buildings as accurately as possible.

This means that Kanazawa Castle is not just a place where you look at old buildings. It is also a place where you can see history being reconstructed in the present.

And I find that fascinating.

Look at the Castle Differently

When you stand inside Kanazawa Castle today, it is easy to imagine that this place has looked more or less the same for hundreds of years.

But it hasn’t.

It was a religious center.

Then it became a samurai castle.

Then it became military land.

Then it became a university campus.

And now it is a public park where visitors from all over the world come to learn about Kanazawa’s history. Twice in every year, in spring and fall, this place is used for relay marathons. Actually I participated in the marathon several times. And it was fun.

That’s what I like about Kanazawa Castle. It is a place where you can actually see how Kanazawa has changed over the centuries. So when you visit, don’t just look at the buildings. Look at the layers of history.

Visiting Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle is located directly next to Kenrokuen Garden, so I recommend visiting the two together.

If you are planning your first visit to Kanazawa, you can easily combine them with other major sights such as the Nagamachi Samurai District, Omicho Market, and Higashi Chaya District.

I often take my guests through this area on my private Kanazawa tours, and one of my favorite things is showing them not only what they are looking at, but also what used to be here.

Because the most interesting part of a place is what you can no longer see.

Visitor Information

Location	1-1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Hours	7:00-18:00 (Mar 1–Oct 15) 8:00-17:00 (Oct 16–Feb 28)
Closed	None
Admission	Free
Website	Kanazawa Castle
Good For	– First-time visitors to Kanazawa – Travelers interested in Japanese history and samurai culture – People who enjoy exploring historic sites at their own pace – Visitors who want to see traditional Japanese architecture and craftsmanship – Travelers who want to understand how Kanazawa’s history shaped its culture – People who enjoy discovering the layers of history behind a place