Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle (金沢城) was a large castle located in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture.

In the middle of 16th century, Kaga Province (加賀国) was governed by a religion power called Ikko-ikki (一向一揆; Ikko sect is a sect of Buddhism). They built a large temple called Oyama Gobou (尾山御坊) in 1546. As it was the Sengoku era, the temple had a function of fortress and it became the base of their governance in Kaga.
Shibata Katsuie (柴田勝家), a vassal of Oda Nobunaga (織田信長), captured Oyama Gobou in 1580, and Katsuie's nephew Sakuma Morimasa (佐久間盛政) became its lord. Morimasa reformed Oyama Gobou and renamed it Kanazawa Castle.
After Katsuie was defeated in the Battle of Shizugatake (賤ヶ岳の合戦) by Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉), Maeda Toshiie (前田利家) became the new lord of Kaga and entered Kanazawa Castle. Toshiie invited Takayama Ukon (高山右近), the former Christian lord, and assigned the expansion of the castle to him.
The Kaga Domain governed by the Maeda clan was the richest domain among all domains under Edo Shogunate, which could produce more than one-million-koku rice. At first it had a castle tower but the tower was burnt out in 1602, and then a three floor turret was built instead. The castle often suffered from fire during the Edo Period.

The castle was built on the end of Kodatsuno (小立野) plateau between the Saigawa River and the Asano River which flow through the center of Kanazawa plains. In order to strengthen the defense, a huge moat called Hyakken-bori constructed in the southeast direction an another outer moats surrounds the castle. Main enclosure was set on the south end and Second enclosure and Third enclosure was arranged on the north side of Main enclosure. In addition, each enclosure was divided by inner moats. the very large castle area of 28.5ha is maintained now as Kanazawa-jo Castle park. Kenroku-en Garden in the southeast side is famous as one of the three great garden in Japan.

(The map was based on GSI Map powered by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. *the locations of enclosures or others are my speculation, so they may not be correct.)

Structure of the castle

(by local guide board)

There are several parking lots around the castle site. Among them, Kenroku Parking is large and close to the castle.

➢ Riko foundation of turret (鯉喉櫓台)

This picture is the south side of the castle and it shows this castle was built on the plateau. The stone construction in front of the plateau is Riko foundation of turret.

➢ (1) Imori moat

It is an outer moat guarding the southwest side of the castle. The origin of its name is unknown.

➢ Stone walls on the east side of East enclosure

This is the oldest stone wall of the castle built in 1592.

➢ (2)Hyakken moat (百間堀)

This is a moat which lays between Kanazawa Castle and Kenroku-en Garden. It was constructed in the age of Sakuma Morimasa.

➢ (3)Ishikawa Gate (石川門)

The gate is located in the key place of the castle. It was called one of the three great gates of Kanazawa Castle. It was burnt out in 1759 and then rebuilt in 1788.

➢ (4)Third enclosure (三の丸)
It becomes an open space now.

➢ (5)Kahoku Gate (河北門)

The gate is located in the entrance of Third enclosure and had a role of the front gate. It was restored in 2010.

➢ Nirami foundation of turret and Taiko wall

Once there was a two-story turret called Nirami turret. After it was burnt out in 1759, only a wall called Taiko wall was rebuilt.

➢ (6) New enclosure (新丸)

New enclosure was in the north end of the castle and had Ote Gate. The residence of the chief vassals and fabrication place were built in the early Edo Period. The headquarters of the army was set here in the Meiji Period and became the campus of Kanazawa University after the World War Second. The university moved to the other place in 1993 and it becomes an open space now.

➢ (7)Ote Gate (大手門)

The tradition has it that Takayama Ukon directed Ote Gate to transfer from the west side to this place. The stone wall includes the largest stone in the castle.

➢ (8)Ote moat

The stone wall beside the moat was built in an early stage.

➢ (9)Second enclosure (二の丸)

After the big fire in 1631, they built a magnificent palace here and utilized it as the domain's office. The palace consisted of three parts; the ceremony field, the official business place of the lord and the residential area of the lord's family.

➢ (10)Gojikken Nagaya (五十間長屋)

Gojikken Nagaya literally means the fifty-ken-long (about 100 meter) building. It was restored in 2001.

➢ Hashizume Gate (橋爪門)

This is a multiple gate which consists of ichinomon (first gate), masugata (square surrounded by walls) and ninomon (second gate).

➢ Hishi turret (菱櫓)

This turret has a rhombus shape (Hishi means a rhombus shape). Since it wasn't rectangular it required an advanced construction technique.

➢ Gokuraku Bridge (極楽橋)
This bridge connects Main enclosure and Second enclosures. Gokuraku means the Buddhist paradise and the name is derived from the former temple.

➢ Trench

The trench installed between Main enclosure and Second enclosure

➢ (11)Main enclosure (本丸)
The legend has it that the former temple was located in Main enclosure. A castle tower was built just after Maeda Toshiie became the lord, but it was burnt out in 1602. The center function of the castle was transferred to Second enclosure after the big fire in 1631.

➢ (12)Sanjikken Nagaya (三十間長屋)

The building was built in 1858. They stored arms and ammunition in it.

The earthworks surrounded Main enclosure. The tunnel inside the earthwork was dug by the modern army to transport goods.

Trees are growing in the site of the enclosure.

➢ Site of Tatsumi turret (辰巳櫓)
It was an important turret which guarded the southeast corner of the castle.

➢ Site of Ushitora turret (丑寅櫓)

The turret was located in the northeast corner of Main enclosure.

➢ (13)Tsurumaru storehouse (鶴丸倉庫)

This storehouse is a precious remained building built in 1848. The lower part of the building is constructed by stones.

➢ (14)Gyokusenin-maru Garden (玉泉院丸庭園)

Gyokusenin, a wife of the second feudal lord Toshinaga, built a residence here and then the third feudal lord Toshinaga made the garden. The garden was restored to the original appearance in 2015.

（Date of visit : 31th October 2016）

➣ Access Information

● Address	Marunouchi, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa Map
● Transportation	Bus or 25 minutes walk from Kanazawa Station 5km from Hokuriku Expwy Kanazawa-higashi IC via Prefectural route 200
● Parking	Kenroku Parking (charged : Spot 'P' pointed on the above map)