If you were to ask me, Which sightseeing spot in Kanazawa should not be missed? I think there is a good chance that Kenrokuen will come up.
It is one of the three major gardens in Japan and is designated as a special place of scenic beauty by the national government, so, well, it is a standard garden.
Today, I would like to talk about 「Kenrokuen」.
「Kenrokuen」 because it combines six different landscapes
For a long time, I always thought it was 「Kenrokuen」 because it’s in Kenroku-cho. It’s in Kanazawa, so it’s like 「Kanazawa Castle」. But it seems I was wrong.
I looked up the origin of the name 「Kenrokuen」 and found out that it is called 「Kenrokuen」 because it has different types of landscape required for a garden: Kodai, Yusui, Jinryoku, Soko, Suisen, and Chobo.
The meanings of each are as follows.
- Kodai – spacious
- Yusui – Secluded and quiet.
- Jinryoku – Human hands are involved.
- Soko – Old and quaint.
- Suisen – There is a waterfront
- Chobo – Good view
Indeed, I feel the park is equipped with all of them.
Two of “the oldest in Japan”
There are two of “Japan’s oldest” in 「Kenrokuen」.
The first is a statue of Yamato Takeru, a Japanese warrior, erected in 1880 in the area of the Japanese Garden. It is said to be the oldest bronze statue of a person in Japan, dating back more than 140 years. It is said to be older than the bronze statue of Saigo-san in Ueno.
The second is a fountain located down the slope from Kasumigaike Pond.
At the end of the feudal era, there was a plan to make water from Kasumigaike Pond spout into Kanazawa Castle, and it was built as a prototype to see if it would really do so. In the end, the plan was abandoned. Only this fountain remained.
Lights up well in the seasonal scenery.
Kenrokuen and Kanazawa Castle hold seasonal light-up events under the name of 「Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Four Seasons Story」. The lights are well lit up against the beautiful scenery of the four seasons.
Cherry blossoms in spring, kakitsubata in summer, autumn leaves in fall, snow hanging in winter… It’s like looking at a beautiful Japanese painting.
| name | Kenrokuen, designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty |
| Location | 1 Kenroku-cho, Kanazawa City |
| open hours | 7:00～18:00（March 1～October 15) 8:00～17:00（October 16～February end) |
| regular closing day | without a holiday |
| Charge | Adults: 320 yen 6 years old and over and under 18 years old: 100 yen 65 years old and over: Free (certificate from a public institution is required) Persons with disabilities: Free (must present physical disability certificate, mental disability certificate, or rehabilitation certificate) *One caregiver is exempted. |
| parking lot | None |
| inquiry | Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Management Office, Ishikawa Prefecture (076-234-3800) |
