Hotels near Kanazawa Castle Park

Directly connected to Kenroku-en via the Ishikawa Bridge, Kanazawa Castle Park is the historic centrepiece of the city. Unlike most Japanese castles, Kanazawa Castle’s main keep (tenshu) no longer stands - it burned down in 1881 - but the beautifully reconstructed Hishi-yagura turret, Gojikken Nagaya storehouse, and Hashizume-mon Tsuzuki-yagura are impressive in their own right, particularly for their distinctive white lead-tile roofs (a unique material used in Kanazawa to repel snow).

The most spectacular element is the Ishikawa-mon Gate - a perfectly preserved Edo-period castle gate that frames the view of Kenroku-en behind it, and in spring, appears to float beneath a canopy of pink cherry blossoms. The castle grounds also include the Gyokusen-in Maru Garden, a recently restored inner garden. Nighttime cherry blossom illuminations run from 7pm to 9:30pm during peak bloom season (free entry to the park).