#attraction/park #attraction/museum [Kanazawa Castle Park (金沢城公園)](https://www.kanazawa-kankoukyoukai.or.jp/spot/detail_10060.html) is a large park in [[Kanazawa (金沢市)]]. The grounds include a museum, and is connected to both [[Kenroku-en (兼六園)]] and [[Gyokusenin Maru Garden (玉泉院丸庭園)]]. > [!NOTE] Nationally-Designated Historical Site: Kanazawa Castle > Kanazawa Castle is located at the edge of a hilly area, between two rivers that run through the city below. Its total area is approximately 30 hectares, and the central enclosure has an elevation of 60m, approximately 30m above the castle town below. > > In 1583, Maeda Toshiie became the lord of Kanazawa Castle, after which it became home to the Maeda clan which would rule over Kaga domain, a large region covering most of modern-day Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures throughout the Edo period. > > In 1759, most of the castle's buildings were lost in the largest fire the castle town had ever seen, but the Ishikawa-mon gate and Sanjikken Nagaya storehouse were both reconstructed, and have been preserved since the Edo period. Both buildings exemplify the unique style of Kanazawa Castle. > > In modern times, the castle grounds were used first as military barracks, then as a university campus, and finally in 2001 they were opened to the public as a park. Restoration efforts to re-build the castle's historical facilities are still underway today. > > Kanazawa Castle, with its well-preserved and accurately re-created grounds, and its stone walls, built with advanced stone working techniques, is an excellent example of modern Japanese castles. It was designated as a historical site in 2008. > [!NOTE] Changes after the Meiji era > In 1871, the castle site was requisitioned by the army. > > A fire in 1881 destroyed Ninomaru Palace, leaving only three buildings remaining: Ishikawa-mon Gate, the Sanjikken Nagaya, and the storehouse. > > After World War II, the site became Kanazawa University, with the Ishikawa Prefectural Government continuing to develop the park area since 1995. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_9539.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_5188.png]] The park is large. The largest building was the [Gojukken Nagaya (五十間長屋)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kkx3k5muzTM4G6V6), which is a restored armory. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4766.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4784.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4792.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6753.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6775.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6782.png]] The [Gojukken Nagaya (五十間長屋)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kkx3k5muzTM4G6V6) now serves as a museum, sharing the history of the castle grounds. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4795.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4800.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4805.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4829.png]] The stairs shown below are not publicly accessible, but showed some of the hidden pathways guards would take to navigate the armory. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4789.png]] The [tsurunomaru rest house (鶴の丸休憩館)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/BbTsEgfuhgUQJfTC9) features a coffee shop, a great view of the [Gojukken Nagaya (五十間長屋)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kkx3k5muzTM4G6V6) (as seen at the top of this page), and a video tour/history of the castle. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6772.png]] The grounds are extensive and, while still being restored and expanded, provide great views even from the outer perimeter. > [!NOTE] Shin-maru - The Castle's Center of Government > The Shin-maru enclosure is said to have been expanded during the reign of the second-generation lord, and was the center of government in the castle grounds. > > The eastern side was where statesmen would carry out the affairs of the domain, while the west side housed a variety of buildings including the offices of the officials in charge of construction and architecture, as well as the kitchen where samurai who visited the castle were entertained. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_5047.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_5055.png]] ![[? kanazawa castle park IMG_5184.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6850.png]] We saw some of the efforts Japan took to preserve their trees. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6853.png]] Finally, there is a gate and bridge connecting the park to [[Kenroku-en (兼六園)]]. ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6783.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_6787.png]] ![[kanazawa castle park IMG_4879.png]]