Kanazawa Castle, Castle in Kanazawa, Japan
Kanazawa Castle is a hilltop castle (hirayamajiro) in Kanazawa, Japan, designated as an Important Cultural Property and a Historic Site of Japan. The grounds are surrounded by wide moats and thick stone walls, and include several reconstructed buildings alongside a handful of original structures such as the Ishikawa-mon Gate and the Sanjikken Nagaya storehouse.
The site was first a Buddhist temple complex before Maeda Toshiie took control in the late 16th century and developed it into a major castle. Several fires, most notably in 1602 and 1759, destroyed the main tower and many buildings, and the castle center gradually shifted to the Ninomaru section.
The Ishikawa-mon Gate, completed in 1788, is one of the few original structures still standing on the grounds, and visitors often stop to study its white-tiled roof and mortar walls. This style of construction, mixing different techniques from different periods, can be seen across several buildings in the complex.
The grounds are open year-round and are easy to reach on foot from the nearby Kenrokuen Garden, which is itself accessible by bus from the city center. Arriving early in the morning or late in the afternoon is a good idea, as the crowds are smaller and the white walls of the structures catch the light well at those times.
The main tower was struck by lightning and destroyed in 1602, but the Maeda lords chose not to rebuild it, instead constructing a smaller watchtower in its place. This decision is why the castle has a noticeably different profile from most other Japanese castles, which typically feature a tall, prominent tower.
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