Komatsu Castle, Japanese castle in Komatsu, Japan
Komatsu Castle once stood in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture, surrounded by extensive water moats and fortification walls built from precision-cut stones. The walls employed the kirikomu-hagi technique, a construction method prized for its durability and craftsmanship.
The fortress was first built in 1576 by Ikko-ikki forces as a military stronghold. In 1639, Maeda Toshitsune undertook major renovations that shifted its purpose from defense to a personal retreat.
The grounds served as a center for tea practice and garden design, where the Maeda family cultivated their appreciation for these arts. Rooms and landscaped spaces reveal how deeply aesthetics and contemplation shaped daily life for those who lived here.
Today the site contains Ashijo Park, a high school, and municipal buildings, with remaining features including foundation stones and sections of the original moat. Visitors should expect that most original structures are gone, but the surviving remnants and park layout help illustrate the castle's former footprint.
The site earned the nickname 'Floating Castle' because water moats surrounded it so extensively that their combined area was roughly twice the size of Kanazawa Castle's grounds. This elaborate water system made it one of the most striking fortress designs of its era.
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