Arya News - Japan`s Kanazawa Castle and its surroundings have undergone many changes over the years, making them well worth multiple trips to get a glimpse of changes both past and present.
KANAZAWA – Kanazawa Castle in Kanazawa is a place rooted in change that continues to this day.
From 1546, the site was occupied by a fortified Honganji sect Buddhist temple before eventually being conquered and further developed by samurai.
After it came into the hands of the late 16th century daimyo Maeda Toshiie and his descendants, the castle and Kanazawa itself underwent numerous transformations, creating a wealthy and prosperous domain known for its refined culture.
But that can be hard to imagine, walking through the castle’s honmaru main bailey these days.
Both the main keep and palace burned down in the early 17th century and were never rebuilt.
Get a nice view of the ninomaru second bailey and the town beyond from a long-gone tower’s stone pedestal.
Instead, visitors to the tallest point of the castle are greeted by a forest with a path going between trees and along a pond. Frogs have been known to congregate there, so a lucky person out for a stroll may be able to find little friends.
From the borders of the honmaru, at stone pedestals where towers once stood, views including the Ninomaru Park and the area around Kenrokuen Garden stretch out.
Despite numerous disasters, there are still Edo period (1603-1867) buildings standing.
Sanjikken-nagaya Storehouse, a long two-story hall used for storing weapons near the honmaru, originally had a tower at one end. However, after the building was destroyed in a fire, it was rebuilt without one in the late Edo period.
Another Edo period structure is the Ishikawa-mon Gate, the eastern entrance to the castle that is part of a square enclosure to surround attackers.
Both of these locations are Important National Cultural Assets.
The Ishikawa-mon Gate, left, is an Edo-period construction.
Building and rebuilding
There are several ways to enter the castle, but one of the more memorable is likely through Oyama Shrine, dedicated to Toshiie and his wife. Its main gate is distinctive, made with bricks and decorated with stained glass.
The back of the shrine leads to a bridge that dramatically stretches over a street to the castle’s Nezumita-mon Gate with an unobstructed view.
Both the bridge and gate were reconstructed in 2020 after being destroyed in the late 19th century. The gate was built with wood using traditional methods, while the bridge is understandably reinforced with steel.
Just after entering through the Nezumita-mon Gate, the Gyokuseninmaru Garden, a place named for the wife of the second Maeda leader who took up residence in the area, comes quickly into view. The distinctive concave garden draws water from the castle grounds and was rebuilt in 2015.
Safety concerns following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake have left it closed off for the time being.
Walking around the perimeter or sitting in the rest area, visitors can enjoy the sight of its bridges and pond.
Several gates and towers have been rebuilt, but the current star among the reconstructed buildings is undoubtedly the combination of the Hishi-yagura Turret, the Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki-yagura Turret and the Gojikken-nagaya Storehouse that connects them.
These buildings mostly served as a replacement for the main keep, becoming the command center for defense. Forces attacking the Hashizume-mon Gate would be an open target for the entire structure, with the storehouse having two stories and the towers having three each.
The original buildings also burned down in the 19th century, but were rebuilt in 2001 as the first wooden reconstructions in the castle.
They offer an excellent view of the grounds and, in a few years, will be great for taking a look at the next big project.
Take a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of the Gyokuseninmaru Garden.
Looking to the future
The Ninomaru Palace, which was the administrative headquarters of the castle, is under reconstruction. Its first phase is currently estimated to be finished in 2033.
The building is being rebuilt using traditional methods with its layout following historical materials and excavations.
This includes replicas of art pieces, such as paintings of tigers by Ganku, a famed artist in the latter half of the Edo period who founded the Kishi school of art.
The Noto Peninsula Earthquake damaged many of the castle’s stone walls. Photos on the castle’s website show areas where stones came tumbling down or shifted dramatically.
This has resulted in some areas, including the walkway by the street in front of the Nezumita-mon Gate, being cordoned off for safety.
Because of the precision required to repair and strengthen the walls, the process will take a significant amount of time.
According to a representative for the castle, repairs are currently estimated to be completed no earlier than 2039.
Part of the complexity is that several different construction styles were used, highlighting how the castle changed over the centuries.
There are multiple cross-sections of different stone wall varieties laid out with explanations around the castle. Even without reading the explanations, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of how each type was constructed.
A statue of Maeda Toshiie stands outside the castle walls. You can relax in this area and even hear owls at night.
Plenty of sites nearby
There are numerous other historical sites within a 30-minute walk. These include restored geisha districts; bukeyashiki warrior residences including ashigaru footsoldier houses; and temple districts with large concentrations of temples.
Among the temples is one known as Myoryuji temple or Ninjadera temple. It is filled with traps, hiding places and other secrets. The heavily fortified temple was established as a covert satellite castle when having multiple castles in a domain was forbidden.
The temple is a throwback to the 16th century, when thousands of tiny satellite castles dotted the countryside as a defensive and early warning system.
The ashigaru houses were built looking to the future, demonstrating the wealth of the Maeda with surprisingly roomy properties.
Kanazawa Castle and its surroundings have undergone many changes over the years, making them well worth multiple trips to get a glimpse of changes both past and present.