Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen Garden, located in the center of Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, alongside Okayama’s Kōraku-en and Mito’s Kairaku-en, and is designated as a National Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Covering approximately 11.7 hectares, it is a daimyo garden in the chisen-kaiyū (pond-centered strolling) style. The garden originated in the mid-17th century as part of the outer grounds of Kanazawa Castle built by the Kaga Domain, and it was remodeled by successive lords to become a representative Edo-period garden.

The name “Kenrokuen” comes from Matsudaira Sadanobu’s citation of the Rakuyō Meien-ki (“Records of the Famous Gardens of Luoyang”), referring to the garden’s combination of six attributes: spaciousness, seclusion, human ingenuity, antiquity, abundant water, and scenic views. Each season offers a different charm: cherry blossoms and plum blossoms in spring, colorful foliage in autumn, and the yukizuri (snow-support ropes) in winter—an iconic Kanazawa sight—have earned the garden a place among the “100 Famous Cherry Blossom Spots of Japan.”

Situated directly across from Kanazawa Castle Park, the two sites are separated only by Hyakken-bori Street and connected by bridges. The surrounding area is known as the “Kenrokuen Cultural Zone,” featuring attractions such as Seisonkaku Villa, the National Crafts Museum, the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

Notable features within Kenrokuen include:

• Kotoji Lantern (Kotoji-tōrō)
  Located on the north bank of Kasumi Pond, this is the garden’s iconic symbol. The lantern’s two legs are of different lengths, resembling the bridge that supports the strings of a koto (Japanese harp). The current lantern is the second version, installed in 1978 (Shōwa 53).

• Fountain
  Considered the oldest surviving fountain in Japan, it operates solely by natural water pressure, using the elevation difference between Kasumi Pond and the fountain—no mechanical pump is used.

• Meiji Monument
  Erected in 1880 to honor Ishikawa Prefecture’s warriors who died in the Satsuma Rebellion, it is Japan’s first outdoor bronze statue of a human figure. The central figure is Prince Yamato Takeru, and the statue is famous for the legend that it “does not attract pigeons.”

• Shigure-tei
  Originally built during the reign of the 5th lord Maeda Tsunanori, it was dismantled during the Meiji period and rebuilt on its current site in 2000. It now serves as a rest facility open to the public.

• Karasaki Pine (Karasaki-matsu)
  A black pine tree transplanted from Karasaki in Ōmi Province by the 13th lord Maeda Nariyasu, it is renowned for its yukizuri display in winter.

• Kenrokuen Kikuzakura and Kenrokuen Kumagai
  Kikuzakura, with over 300 petals per blossom, is a variety native to Kenrokuen. Another variety, Kenrokuen Kumagai, features large pale pink petals and also originated in the garden.

• Sazaeyama Hill
  A small artificial hill created during garden renovations, with a three-story stone pagoda at its summit.

• Gankō Bridge (Gankō-bashi)
  Made from 11 red-andesite stones arranged in the shape of wild geese in flight, it is also known as “Kikkō Bridge” (Tortoise-shell Bridge), symbolizing longevity. Due to severe wear, it is no longer open to foot traffic.

The garden’s opening hours, admission fees, and free-entry periods are managed in accordance with the Ishikawa Prefecture Urban Park Ordinance and its enforcement regulations. Kenrokuen remains one of Kanazawa’s must-see attractions.