Kanazawa is a regional commercial centre and transportation hub for Ishikawa Prefecture. It remains noted for its traditional handicrafts industry, including the production of Kutani ware ceramics, and is a major tourist destination.
Kanazawa Castle is a large, partially-restored castle in Kanazawa. It is located adjacent to the celebrated Kenroku-en Garden, which once formed the castle's private outer garden. It was the headquarters of Kaga Domain, ruled by the Maeda clan for 14 generations from the Sengoku period until the coming of the Meiji Restoration in 1871.
Although the Maeda clan were the most powerful daimyo in Japan after the ruling Tokugawa clan in terms of kokudaka, their position was not unassailable. Kanazawa Castle is located at the center of a castle town, which in itself consisted of numerous features which added to the overall defensive situation.
The castle's distinctive, whitish roof tiles are made of lead. The reason for that is not only that they are fireproof, but legend says that also that in times of siege, the tiles could be melted down and cast into bullets.
In 1634, the third lord of the Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga Clan (the present Ishikawa and Toyama areas) during the feudal times, started to construct the garden. Although it was destroyed at the end of the feudal times, the garden was reconstructed in 2015.
Light-up : every Friday, Saturday and day before national holidays, starting after sunset until 9:00 pm.
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Kenrokuen Garden is a beautiful Japanese garden with an area of 11.4 hectares located on the heights of the central part of Kanazawa and next to Kanazawa Castle.
Kenrokuen Garden is by far the most famous part of Kanazawa. Originally built as the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle, it was opened to the public in 1875. Along with Kairaku-en and Koraku-en, Kenrokuen is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan and is filled with a variety of trees, ponds, waterfalls and flowers stretching over 25 acres. In winter, the park is notable for its yukitsuri – ropes attached in a conical array to trees to support the branches under the weight of the heavy wet snow, thereby protecting the trees from damage.
Among the garden's points of special interest are:
. the oldest fountain in Japan, operating by natural water pressure
. Yugao-tei, a teahouse, the oldest building in the garden, built 1774
. Shigure-tei, a rest House that was originally built by the 5th lord . Tsunanori, reconstructed at its present location in 2000
. Karasaki Pine, planted from seed by the 13th lord Nariyasu from Karasaki, near Lake Biwa
. Kotoji-toro, a stone lantern with two legs, said to resemble the bridge on a koto. This lantern is emblematic of Kenroku-en and Kanazawa
. Flying Geese Bridge (Ganko-bashi), made of eleven red stones, laid out to resemble geese in a flying formation
. Kaiseki Pagoda, said to have been donated to the Maeda by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
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