Myoryuji Temple (Ninja Temple)

They do accept walk ins and it seems there is a tour by the hour or so. I would suggest if you do not have a japanese phone line, just head over and plan to arrive a few minutes before the hour. The reservation is via an intercom which I guess goes with the theme of a ninja Temple. You aren't able to take pictures while inside. They do accept card payments though. They have a binder they hand out to foreign guest that is translated into English and perhaps other languages are available. You will split into a few groups with a guide leading each explaining the details of the temple and the well thought out design of some of architecture. The guide will tell you via numbers which section for you to flip to and read. Overall, if its the start of your day, id suggest taking a bus out and start your day here as you work to snake back towards omicho market.

I highly recommend the tour. It was so interesting to see the inside of the temple and all of the hidden features as well as learn about the time when it was built. The tour was in Japanese but we were handed a thorough English guidebook and the guide let us know which to page to read when.

Completely awesome and totally worth it! 😆 The fact that it had nothing to do with ninjas doesn’t make the building any less fascinating or unique. I imagine it loses a bit if you have to rely on the foreign language guidebooks, if only because the tour moves rather fast, but they handle things well overall. I was also a bit worried that the staff might be brusque because they have so many tourists, but they were perfectly lovely to me both when I made my reservation and when I checked in.

We really enjoyed our visit to Myouryuji, often referred to as the “Ninja Temple,” and it ended up being one of the more memorable experiences of our time in Kanazawa. I went in with zero expectations and came away having learned a lot about local history, politics, and the incredible ingenuity that went into designing this place. Doing the guided tour makes a huge difference—you can genuinely imagine what may have happened in this house over the centuries, and how cleverly it was constructed for defense and deception. The temple is famous for its secret doors, hidden staircases, traps, and misleading layouts, all designed to protect its occupants during a very turbulent period in Japanese history. Seeing these features in person really brings that era to life. There are also rooms associated with seppuku, which adds a sobering and respectful layer to the experience and reinforces that this is not just a “fun attraction,” but an important historical and religious site. A word of caution for visitors: booking is required. We used the intercom at the entrance and were able to secure a spot with about a 20-minute wait, which worked out well. Be mindful that you are entering a temple and a place of worship. If you don’t speak Japanese, they provide an English information folder explaining each area, but there is no live translation during the tour. Phones are not allowed for translation or photos, which again reflects the respectful nature of the site. We visited with our 9- and 10-year-old kids, and with a clear briefing beforehand they behaved appropriately and got a lot out of it. Highly recommend this experience—part history lesson, part architectural marvel, and completely unique.