Hotels near Kenroku-en Garden

Kenroku-en is the jewel of Kanazawa and one of the top places to visit in Kanazawa at any time of year. Recognised as one of Japan’s three greatest landscape gardens (alongside Koraku-en in Okayama and Kairaku-en in Ibaraki), this 11.4-hectare strolling garden was developed over two centuries by the ruling Maeda family as the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle. Its name - meaning ‘Garden of Six Characteristics’ - refers to the six attributes of the perfect garden: spaciousness, tranquility, artifice, antiquity, water sources, and panoramic views. Kenroku-en possesses all six in full measure.

The iconic Kotoji-toro (two-legged stone lantern) standing at the edge of the Kasumiga-ike pond is the most photographed element of the garden - and the most photographed image in all of Kanazawa. The garden also contains Japan’s oldest garden fountain, still powered entirely by natural water pressure. In spring, 420 cherry trees across 10 varieties turn the garden into a sea of pink; in autumn, the maples, gingkos, and zelkovas ignite in crimson and gold; in winter, the pine trees are bound with yukitsuri rope cradles to protect their branches from snow - one of the most distinctive winter sights in Japan.