Kanazawa Castle and Gyokusen-inmaru Garden

Kanazawa Castle was for 300 years the seat of the Maeda clan, the most powerful feudal lords in Japan outside the Tokugawa shogunate. The original complex was destroyed several times by fire; the most emblematic surviving building is the imposing Ishikawa-mon, the main gate of white bricks and lead tiles, considered one of the most beautiful castle gates in the country. The castle park has free open access. The interior of the Higashi-Hashizume-yagura (restored turret) can be visited for 320 ¥ and shows the traditional Japanese carpentry engineering without nails. Also worth the visit is the Gyokusen-inmaru garden, restored in 2015 with ponds and running-water fountains, which has separate admission (320 ¥). The castle borders directly on Kenroku-en and both are visited together. It is reached by tourist bus (Kanazawa Loop) to the Kanazawa-jo Koen stop.