Kanazawa Castle
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Why go
- Ishikawa Gate, built in 1788, survived several fires and stands in the castle park, facing a Kenroku-en entrance.
- Gojikken Nagaya, a long one-storey building rebuilt by traditional methods and open to visitors.
- Yagura Hishi, a two-storey watchtower restored in 2001 to its 1809 appearance.
- Nezumitamon Gate and its bridge, rebuilt in 2020, crossing a water-filled moat.
- Kahoku-mon Gate, the main entrance, rebuilt in 2010.
Opening hours
Today07:00 – 18:00Show all
Know before you go
- Open every day from 07:00 to 18:00.
Legends and hidden details
- According to legend, the castle's lead roof tiles could be melted into bullets during a siege.
What's inside
- Ninomaru Palace, the largest building and the administrative centre of the Kaga domain, is being rebuilt; its first phase is due in 2033.
- Ni-no-maru Goten, the castle's largest structure, had over 60 rooms.
- The Omote-muki reception hall, where the domain lord handled government affairs, is to be restored gradually over several years.
- Sanjikken Nagaya storehouse stands near the top of the grounds.
- Tsurumaru storehouse, dating from 1848, survives in the grounds.
- A long house from 1858 survives inside the Honmaru.
Tips for your visit
- Ishikawa Gate faces one entrance of Kenroku-en, so the castle and the garden can be seen one after the other.
- The grounds are large, with wide lawns and a wooded zone, so plan time to walk them.
- Ninomaru Palace is under reconstruction, so expect building work there until the first phase finishes in 2033.
Interesting facts2
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1,000 tatami
The interior was so large that in the late 1600s people called it the palace of 1,000 tatami mats.
Château de Kanazawa - Wikipedia -
400 years
The grounds are open to the public now, a first in more than 400 years of the castle's history.
Kanazawa - Wikivoyage (see)
History
A temple town stood on the site from 1546, founded by monks during the Ikkō uprisings. In 1580 Shibata Katsuie captured the site and drove out the monks. The Maeda ruled the Kaga domain for 14 generations from here, and the domain was one of the richest of the Edo era. Fire shaped the castle again and again. From 1871 the army's 9th Division used the site as headquarters, and Kanazawa University held the campus from 1949 until 1989. After the university left, the city turned the grounds into a park and began rebuilding parts of the castle.
- 1583Maeda Toshiie makes the castle his residence as the Maeda clan sets up the Kaga domain.
- 1592Maeda Toshiie orders a complete rebuild after the Japanese invasions of Korea.
- 1602The main tower is struck by lightning and burns; it is never rebuilt.
- 1759The Great Kanazawa Fire almost entirely destroys the castle.
- 1871The army's 9th Division takes over the site as its headquarters.
Show all
- 1881A fire destroys most of the surviving buildings.
- 2001Yagura Hishi, Gojikken Nagaya and Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki are restored to their 1809 appearance.
- 2025Reconstruction of the Ninomaru Palace begins with a ceremony on March 9.
Sources: Kanazawa Castle - Wikipedia · Kanazawa - Wikivoyage (see) · Burg Kanazawa - Wikipedia · Château de Kanazawa - Wikipedia · checked 26 Oct 2026
- Phone
- +81 76-234-3800
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours of Kanazawa Castle?
Kanazawa Castle is open every day from 07:00 to 18:00.
Where is Kanazawa Castle?
It stands at 1-1 Marunouchi, postal code 920-0937, in the centre of Kanazawa, beside the Kenroku-en garden.
Can you visit Ninomaru Palace at Kanazawa Castle?
Ninomaru Palace is still being rebuilt. Work began in 2025, and its first phase is due to finish in 2033.
What can you see at Kanazawa Castle?
Ishikawa Gate of 1788, the Gojikken Nagaya, which is open to the public, the Yagura Hishi watchtower and the Nezumitamon Gate with its bridge.
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