Myōryū-ji Temple, Buddhist temple in Teramachi district, Kanazawa, Japan
Myōryū-ji is a temple in the Teramachi district with 23 rooms connected through 29 staircases across 4 floors and 7 levels. The exterior appears low with only 2 stories, while the interior contains these additional hidden levels and chambers.
In 1585 Maeda Toshiie, founding daimyō of Kaga Domain, established a Nichiren chapel inside Kanazawa Castle. In 1643 Maeda Toshitsune, the third daimyō, moved it to the Teramachi district and built the full temple as a disguised military outpost, circumventing Tokugawa building limits with hidden defences and escape routes.
The temple displays defensive features like trap doors and hidden passages that reflect its original role as a fortified structure. Visitors can still discover today the thoughtful arrangement of these security elements throughout the winding rooms.
Visitors must book guided 40-minute tours in advance, and photography is not permitted inside. Plan extra time for registration, and wear comfortable shoes since navigating the many staircases can be physically demanding.
The well at the centre of the hall is hollowed from a single block of Tomuro stone, the same stone used in the walls of Kanazawa Castle. About 25 metres deep, it served for tea water. A side opening 3 to 4 metres above the water is said to have been an escape route toward the castle, though no one has tried to pass through it.
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