Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle, located in Marunouchi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a hirayama-style (hilltop) castle with a terraced layout that spanned from the Sengoku period into the Edo period. The site is now designated as a National Historic Site and has been restored as “Kanazawa Castle Park.”

The castle stands at the tip of the small Tateda Plateau—formerly called “Oyama”—in the center of the Kanazawa Plain, between the Saigawa and Asanogawa Rivers, a location that naturally provided strong defensive advantages. Architectural features include namako walls of white plaster with glazed tiles, and roofs covered with white lead tiles. Many of the turrets and earthen walls incorporate distinctive elements such as karahafu (undulating gables) and irimoya-style projecting windows.

Originally, this site was Oyama Gobo, a stronghold of the Kaga Ikkō-ikki, serving both as a Jōdo Shinshū temple and as a fortress surrounded by stone walls. After Oda Nobunaga suppressed the Ikkō-ikki, Kanazawa Castle was built here, with Sakuma Morimasa appointed as castellan. Following Morimasa’s defeat at the Battle of Shizugatake, Toyotomi Hideyoshi granted the castle to Maeda Toshiie. From 1592 (Bunroku 1), Toshiie carried out large-scale renovations, expanding baileys and moats, and constructing a five-story, six-level tenshu (main keep) and numerous turrets. The adjacent Kenrokuen Garden originated as Hasuike Garden, built by the fourth lord of the Kaga Domain, Maeda Tsunanori, as part of the castle grounds, and was later remodeled multiple times by successive lords into the famous daimyo garden known today.

As for the name, “Kanazawa” as a place name existed as early as the Muromachi period, but during the Oyama Gobo era it was referred to as “Oyama” due to its location on the Oyama plateau. When Sakuma Morimasa built the castle, the name “Kanazawa Castle” was adopted. Upon Maeda Toshiie’s arrival, it was briefly renamed “Oyama Castle,” but since “Kanazawa” was already widely known and still used in official documents, “Kanazawa Castle” eventually became the common name.

After the Meiji Restoration, the castle site was retained as a military facility, and some buildings were dismantled. Following World War II, Kanazawa University established its campus here, remaining until 1995, after which the entire site was opened to the public as a historical park.