From 1583 to the Meiji Restoration, Kanazawa Castle was the seat of the Maeda Clan, Lords of Kaga, whose feudal possessions were second only to those of the Tokugawa Clan in terms of size and wealth. Approaching Kanazawa Castle the first feature we encountered was the Gyokusen-en Nishida Family Garden. It provided a natural refuge for the inhabitants of the castle who were not free to expore the world beyond the castle grounds. The garden with its central pond and circular walking path was uncovered during archaeological work, restored, and opened in 2015.
These two turrets and the long storehouse connecting them were rebuilt to their original 1850s in 2001.
The castle burnt down several times over the centuries, and only two storehouses and the Ishikawa-mon Gate survived the most recent fire in 1881. The gate dates from 1788 and faces Kenrokuen Garden.
Reconstruction of the castle's former main entrance gate, the Kahoku-mon Gate, was completed in spring 2010. Its upper floor can be entered free of charge and contains some displays about the gate's history and construction. In 2015, the Hashizume-mon Gate and the Gyokuseninmaru Garden were added.
