Nezumita-mon Gate & Nezumita-mon-bashi Bridge

Nezumita-mon Gate is located along the exterior of the Gyokusen’inmaru, an enclosure in the western area of the Kanazawa Castle grounds. The gate stood at one end of the Nezumitamon Bridge, which led to the Kanaya Demaru area (today, the grounds of Oyama Jinja Shrine). This castle gate features a turret above the doorway. It is unknown when, exactly, it was originally built, but old materials such as a map from the time indicate that it already existed by the early 17th century. The gate was spared from the 1759 fire that destroyed many of the buildings on the castle grounds, and kept maintained through the 19th century.
Much like the other gates on the castle grounds, the roof is covered with lead tiles, and the exterior walls are plastered in white above the namako tiling that extends much of the way up each wall. However, the plaster connecting the tiles here is black, rather than the usual white, for a distinctive appearance unlike any other gate on the castle grounds.
Nezumita-mon-bashi Bridge was one of the largest wooden bridges on the castle grounds, crossing over the water-filled moat between the Gyokusen’inmaru and Kanaya Demaru areas. It was rebuilt a number of times, and stood through the 19th century.
In 1877, Nezumita-mon-bashi Bridge was demolished due to age and wear, and in 1884, Nezumita-mon Gate was destroyed in a fire. Later, the surrounding moat was filled in, removing any vestige of these features from the castle.

Based on the results of archaeological excavations and studies of historical maps and documents, Nezumita-mon Gate was reconstructed in wood in accordance with historical accuracy, while Nezumita-mon-bashi Bridge was completed in 2020 (Reiwa 2) using a steel structure that meets modern safety standards, finished with wooden cladding to replicate its original appearance.
During the restoration work, protective soil layers were placed over Edo-period remains identified through excavation, and deteriorated stone materials were repaired, ensuring the reliable preservation of these cultural heritage assets.

Archaeological excavations revealed the outer boundary line of Nezumita-mon Gate and identified the locations of its foundation stones. The lower portions of the stone walls lining the passageway were also found to remain intact.
Through these findings, the remains of Nezumita-mon Gate—destroyed in 1884 (Meiji 17)—were confirmed, allowing its scale and structural characteristics to be accurately understood.
Fragments of namako‑shikkui (sea‑cucumber plaster), a distinctive feature of the gate, were also unearthed.
These remains revealed that the namako walls of Nezumita-mon Gate were finished in a dark, grayish‑black plaster.
During the investigation of Nezumita-mon-bashi Bridge, the remains of bridge piers dismantled in 1877 (Meiji 10) were detected, along with even earlier pier foundations.
These discoveries indicate that the bridge had undergone several rebuilds over its history.