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Kenrokuen Garden

©Kanazawa City

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Kenrokuen Garden

A vast and beautiful garden in the heart of Kanazawa that’s ideal for sightseeing

Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture

One of the Nihon Sanmeien, a historical list of the three great gardens of Japan, Kenrokuen was established next to Kanazawa Castle during the Edo period (1603–1868) and extended over generations by the Maeda clan, who ruled the Kaga Domain (the present Ishikawa and Toyama areas) in feudal times. It takes its name, meaning “garden of six elements,” from the six attributes of its landscaped beauty: spaciousness, tranquility, artistic ingenuity, antiquity, water, and scenic views.

A vast Kaiyu-shiki (strolling) garden of 11.4 hectares, Kenrokuen has a web of paths winding around ponds, crossing bridges over streams, and taking you past hills, groves, and teahouses. Often regarded as one of the most beautiful gardens built by a feudal lord in Japan, its seasonal flowers and trees create vistas of delicate plum and cherry blossoms in spring, colorful azaleas and irises in summer, and vibrant red and yellow leaves in the autumn.

Visit in November, and yukizuri, or “snow hanging,” a traditional technique using bamboo poles and ropes to protect trees from heavy snowfall, provides a stunning wintry sight. Dusted with snow, the cones of vertical bamboo poles sheltering trees glow white, like a forest of contemporary artwork.