What other travelers are saying about Kanazawa Castle
Kanazawa Castle has a spacious interior area, beautifully designed like a Japanese garden. The atmosphere is calm and perfect for relaxing or even going for a jog. It’s not crowded and the grounds are very clean.
A big bonus is that it’s right next to Kenroku-en Garden—you can walk between the two easily. The castle itself has been nicely renovated and looks fresh and well-maintained. If you’re visiting Kanazawa, it’s definitely worth a stop.
This is an interesting place to visit. Mixture of original and reconstructed buildings On a large site great to walk around and explore.
Impressive rebuild of the castle buildings. The detailed craftsmanship is amazing. Other buildings are in process of being rebuild.
A good 1-2 hours to get around the site. Not too busy either. Nice park and gardens. Other attractions close by too
The castle is being rebuilt and most of the surrounding structures are also recent. The big scaffolding isn’t pretty, so your photos won’t turn out great, but it’s understandable. However, if you have already visited other castles in Japan, like in Osaka, Kyoto or Himeji, you’ve already seen plenty. Here, the main attraction are the outdoors and the gardens. Today it was sunny and it was beautiful. Some parts can become crowded, but it’s not too hard to find a quiet place for yourself, to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
If you follow Google Maps directions on foot, it can be misleading, I had to cross a wooden structure/bridge over the street to get to the castle from where I was coming from (the train station).
What a lovely park, very clean and tidy. Good to have a wander round, even if you don't want to actually enter the castle itself.
Lots of toilets, as is usual for Japan. It's absolutely lovely to see public toilets, open, clean and not vandalised. If you're in the area, have a wander through the park, it's very nice.
Pretty good. The castle internally itself isn’t something you want to be hyped about. But the outer grounds and some of the surrounding gardens was beautiful. I still found the internals of the castle to be better than Osaka castle, purely because it was less cramped with people. The grounds and the surrounding gardens is something to be in aw of.
Yes, visitors can explore several parts of Kanazawa Castle, including restored buildings and some original structures, which showcase traditional Japanese architecture and construction techniques.
The castle is beautiful throughout the year, but spring (for cherry blossoms) and autumn (for foliage) are particularly scenic times to visit.
A thorough visit can take around 1-2 hours, depending on your interest in exploring the various buildings and the extensive grounds.
Yes, guided tours are available, and they offer in-depth insights into the castle's history, architecture, and the Maeda Clan's legacy.
Photography is generally allowed in outdoor areas and some indoor spaces, but restrictions may apply in specific exhibitions or during special events.
