Kanazawa Castle

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Kanazawa Castle, 663highland (CC BY-SA 3.0)

About

Kanazawa Castle by lensonjapan (CC BY 2.0)

Kanazawa Castle, lensonjapan (CC BY 2.0)

Kanazawa Castle is a well restored Castle in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture Japan. The city of Kanazawa tries to "faithfully" restore this castle as it was during it's heyday. The castle was the seat of the powerful Maeda Clan, said to be the second most powerful clan (in terms of size and wealth) in Japan after the Tokugawa Clan at that time. In it's long history various parts of the castle have burned down and been re-constructed many times. Unfortunately the "Main Keep" (Which is said to have been 6 stories high) has yet to be re-constructed (lost in a fire in 1602) but many parts of this beautiful castle have been completed and or under current construction. The Ishikawa-mon Gate (dates from 1788 and faces Kenrokuen) is an original structure. The grounds and re-constructed structures are quite beautiful and visitors are always please when visiting the sight along with Kenrokuen (a famous Japanese Garden) right next to the castle. If your in Kanazawa, the castle is a "Must See" destination.

Kanazawa Castle by 663highland (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Kanazawa Castle, 663highland (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Maeda Toshiie was the 4th son of a "minor" Samurai family but was lucky to enter the service of a powerful Daimyo when he was 15 years old. He rose through the ranks quickly because of his skill in battle and ended up becoming the Daimyo of Noto province (an old province in the northern part of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, including the Noto Peninsula) in 1581. Sakuma Marimasa was the original founder of a small fortification in Kanazawa but Maeda Toshiie greatly increased the size and power of the structure into a full scale castle in the 1590s. Toshiie built a strong castle which included moats and canals on the highest ground in the middle of the growing city of Kanazawa.

Please visit our Japanese Castles page to find more castles in Japan.

Data

Name: Kanazawa Castle (金沢城 - Kanazawa Jyou)

Original Year Built: 1580

Type: Hilltop 丘城

Class: Large Castle

Main Tower Size: (Main Tower not reconstructed yet)

Features: Towers (Turrets), Gates, Bridges, Water Moats, Stone Walls

Condition: Genuine Reconstruction

Founder: Sakuma Morimasa / Maeda Toshiie

Timeline

1580 - Sakuma Morimasa & Maeda Toshiie invaded and conquered this region and a castle was built.

1583 - After the battle of Shizugatake, Maeda Toshiie was awarded the castle.

1602 - A lighting strike and fire burned the huge 6 level Tenshu (Main Tower) and other buildings to the ground. The Main Tower was never rebuilt again.

1620, 1631, 1759, 1808, 1881 - After the 1602 fire that destroyed the Main Tower, Kanazawa castle had 5 more major fires that destroyed various buildings.

1999 - Reconstruction of some of the castle buildings started.

References

Sakuma Morimasa on Wikipedia

Maeda Toshiie on Wikipedia

Kanazawa Castle, 663highland (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Access

Closest Train Station: Kanazawa

Marunouchi, 1 Ban, 1 Go
Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa 920-0937 Japan

Tel: 076-234-3800

From Kanazawa Station -

Bus (Kanazawa Loop Bus): Leaves every 15 min. 200 yen per ride.
Bus (Kenrokuen Shuttle Bus) bound for Kenrokuen: Leaves every 20 min. 100 yen per ride on weekends / 200 yen per ride on weekdays.

Google Map

Find a train route and times by Hyperdia & Jorudan

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