Characteristics of Kanazawa Castle

Characteristics of the Castle Layout

The layout of Kanazawa Castle makes skillful use of the terrain at the tip of a plateau, making it a typical hirayamajiro (a castle built on gently elevated land). The difference in elevation between the highest point—the Honmaru—and the outer perimeter of the castle is approximately 30 meters. The central area of the castle was the Ninomaru, where the palace buildings were located from the early Edo period onward. Surrounding it, a series of enclosures—such as the Honmaru, Higashi-no-maru, Tsuru-no-maru, Sannomaru, Shin-maru, and Gyokusen’inmaru—were arranged at varying elevations. To the west of Gyokusen’inmaru, separated by a water moat, the Kanaya Demaru was built. Including this area, the total size of the castle precincts reaches about 30 hectares.

Characteristics of the Structures

Architectural structures of Kanazawa Castle—such as the Ishikawa-mon Gate and the Sanjikken-nagaya Storehouse—are characterized by their distinctive appearance: roofs covered with lead tiles, exterior walls finished with white plaster, and namakokabe–style lower walls.
Combined with the contrasting colors of the stone foundations—built from reddish Akatomuro stone and bluish Aotomuro stone—the beauty of these structures is one of the defining charms of Kanazawa Castle.

The turrets of the Ishikawa Gate and the reconstructed Hishi-yagura Turret in the Ninomaru are distinguished by their rhombus-shaped structural elements, including the pillars—a feature that requires highly advanced craftsmanship. The Hishi-yagura Turret in the Ninomaru is built using rhombus shapes of 80 and 100 degrees, and visitors can observe this unique construction technique inside the building.

Ishikawa-mon Gate and Gojikken-nagaya Storehouse have bay windows, whose structure is called "dashi." With the "dashi" structure, the floor next to the window would open with the system called "ishi-otoshi," or stone dropping. By opening up the floor next to the window, you can see the moats and stonewalls very easily. If your enemies are invading, you can drop stones on them using this slot.

The earthen walls of Ishikawa-mon Gate Gate and Tsurunomaru are constructed in the namako-kabe style, and although they contain teppō-zama (gun ports) on the inner side, they appear from the front as uninterrupted namako-kabe walls. These concealed gun ports were designed to function in times of conflict by breaking through the tiles when needed.
In addition, the Tsurunomaru earthen wall is built in a style known as taiko-bori, in which the hollow interior of the wall is filled with small stones. These stones prevent bullets from penetrating the wall, and even if a hole is made, the stones immediately fall from above to fill the gap, thereby enhancing its defensive effectiveness.

Museum of stone walls

Kanazawa Castle is often referred to as a “museum of stone walls,” as it preserves a wide variety of stone walls from different periods—from the early construction phases during the Bunroku and Keichō eras to the end of the feudal domain—many of which remain in excellent condition. Visitors can see distinctive examples such as stone walls from the era of Maeda Toshiie and the Shikishitanzaku-zumi Stone Wall, which are considered true works of stonework art.

The Daimyo Garden Within the Castle Grounds

In Gyokusen’inmaru, a pond‑centered strolling garden was created, which is thought to have served as the lord’s private garden in contrast to Kenrokuen Garden, the castle’s outer garden. This garden is uniquely characterized by its incorporation of stone walls as structural elements—an exceptional feature rarely seen elsewhere. Visitors can enjoy its beautiful scenery throughout the changing seasons.

Layers of History

Another of Kanazawa Castle’s many charms lies in the remnants that vividly convey its layered history—such as the former Headquarters Building of Former 6th Brigade Headquarter that still stands within the grounds, and the tunnels cut through stone walls when the military altered the castle structures.

Former 6th Brigade Headquarter/A tunnel opened through the stone wall