Kanazawa (Japanese: 金沢市, -shi) is a large city, seaport and administrative center of Ishikawa Prefecture on Honshū, the main island of Japan. Kanazawa is located about 150 km north of Nagoya on the coast of the Sea of Japan and is the largest city in the Hokuriku region with over 450,000 inhabitants.
Muromachi Period (1336–1573)
During the Muromachi period, as the
authority of the central shoguns in Kyoto declined, Kaga Province came
under the influence of the Ikkō-ikki, a militant group of followers of
the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist sect led by the priest Rennyo. These warrior
monks overthrew the Togashi clan, the province's official governors, and
established a theocratic republic often called the "Peasants' Kingdom"
or Kaga ikki. Their primary stronghold was the Kanazawa Gobo temple on
the Kodatsuno Ridge, a strategically defensible location surrounded by
hills and rivers. This site fostered the growth of a surrounding castle
town, laying the groundwork for modern Kanazawa. The Ikko sect's
religious government centered here about 500 years ago, marking the
city's origins as a hub of spiritual and communal power.
Sengoku
Period (1467–1615)
The Sengoku period brought significant upheaval.
In 1580, warlord Oda Nobunaga sent generals Shibata Katsuie and Sakuma
Morimasa to conquer the Kaga Ikkō-ikki, destroying the Kanazawa Gobo
temple. Morimasa was initially granted the province, but after
Nobunaga's assassination in 1582, Maeda Toshiie, one of Nobunaga's
retainers, displaced him and established the Kaga Domain. In 1583,
Toshiie entered Kanazawa, constructed Kanazawa Castle on the former
temple site, and began developing the city as a castle town. Following
the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, where the Maeda clan allied with
Tokugawa Ieyasu, their holdings expanded to 1.2 million koku (a measure
of rice production, indicating wealth), making Kaga the largest feudal
domain in the Tokugawa shogunate. This period transformed Kanazawa into
a fortified center under Maeda rule, with the clan's lordship producing
an annual yield of a million koku of rice, the largest in Japan at the
time.
Edo Period (1603–1868)
Under the Maeda clan, Kanazawa
flourished during the Edo period, spanning nearly 280 years of peace and
prosperity. Maeda Toshiie and his successors enlarged Kanazawa Castle in
the late 16th century, designing the surrounding jōkamachi (castle town)
with strategic defenses, including moats and ridges. A devastating fire
in 1631 razed much of the city and castle, leading to reconstruction
efforts. In 1632, the third daimyō, Maeda Toshitsune, commissioned a
canal from the upper Sai River to supply water, ingeniously engineered
over 3.3 kilometers to feed the castle moat and Kenrokuen’s
Kasumi-ga-Ike lake as an emergency reservoir. The inner moat was dug in
just 27 days, and the outer moat was even wider, using excavated earth
for defensive barriers.
The population grew rapidly from about 5,000
before the Maeda arrival to over 100,000 by 1700, making Kanazawa one of
Japan's largest cities, comparable to major European centers like Rome
or Amsterdam. Incentives such as tax exemptions and land grants
attracted samurai, artisans, and merchants, boosting the chōnin
(townsman) class. The 1610s Sai River Project created new land for
expansion, while poorer merchants produced everyday goods, stimulating
the local economy. Samurai housing dominated over three-quarters of the
city by the late 17th century, with districts reorganized by income
levels. Temples were strategically placed near entrances for defense,
including clusters in Teramachi and Utatsuyama.
As tozama daimyō
(outer lords), the Maeda clan channeled their wealth into arts and
crafts to deflect suspicions from the shogunate, fostering the
"Million-koku Culture." Toshitsune established the Kaga Workmanship
Office for lacquer and gold-lacquer arts, while the fifth daimyō, Maeda
Tsunanori, amassed artworks and invited artisans nationwide. This
patronage elevated cultural practices like tea ceremonies, Noh theater,
and traditional crafts, influencing all social classes and establishing
Kanazawa as a refined cultural hub. The city's avoidance of wars during
this era contributed to its preserved heritage.
Meiji Restoration
and Modern Era (1868–Present)
Following the Meiji Restoration in
1868, which ended feudal rule, political power shifted to Tokyo, and the
Maeda clan's influence waned, leading to a decline in patron-supported
crafts. However, local citizens and artisans preserved these traditions.
Kanazawa became the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture and was officially
established as a modern city on April 1, 1889, with an initial area of
10.40 square kilometers, gradually expanding through annexations to
468.64 square kilometers today.
Remarkably, Kanazawa escaped air
raids during World War II and has avoided major wars or natural
disasters for over 430 years, allowing entire Edo-period districts—like
geisha houses in Higashi Chaya and samurai residences in Nagamachi—to
survive alongside modern developments. Post-war, the population grew
from 361,379 in 1970 to a peak of 463,254 in 2020. In 1996, it was
designated a core city with greater autonomy. Today, Kanazawa is a
regional commercial and transportation hub, renowned for tourism,
traditional crafts such as Kutani ware ceramics and gold leaf (producing
99% of Japan's supply), and sites like Kenrokuen Garden, opened to the
public in 1875 and ranked among Japan's three great gardens. Festivals
like Hyakumangoku Matsuri celebrate its heritage, and the city serves as
the political, economic, educational, and cultural center of the
Hokuriku region. Governance features a mayor-council system, with
Takashi Murayama as mayor since 2022.
Worth seeing are the Kenrokuen, a park that is considered one of the
three perfect gardens in Japan, the newly built Kanazawa Castle with the
Ishikawa-mon, the only remnant of the original castle, and the Samurai
Quarter, where former Samurai villas have been preserved to this day.
Ninja-dera, Omicho Market, Teramachi and the Higashiyama Chaya (tea
district) should also not be missed during a visit.
Train:
JR Hokuriku Main Line
Hokuriku Shinkansen
Road:
Hokuriku Highway
National Road 8
National Roads 157, 159, 249,
304, 305, 359
The Hokuriku Shinkansen route has been in operation
since March 2015 to Kanazawa and since March 2024 to Tsuruga. A
continuation via Obama to Osaka is being planned. In preparation for the
express service, the main station was completely rebuilt in 2005.
Kanazawa (金沢市, Kanazawa-shi) is the capital and largest city of
Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of central Honshu, Japan. It
lies on the northwestern coast, bordered by the Sea of Japan (also
called the East Sea) to the west and Toyama Prefecture to the east. Its
coordinates are approximately 36°33′39.8″N 136°39′23.1″E, placing it on
a coastal plain backed by mountainous terrain. The city's total area
spans 468.64 km² (180.94 sq mi).
Topographically, Kanazawa occupies a
strategic lowland position between two major rivers—the Sai River (to
the south) and Asano River (to the north)—which historically provided
natural defenses and water resources for the feudal castle town. The
city sits on a relatively flat coastal plain near sea level along the
Sea of Japan shoreline, but elevation rises sharply eastward into the
foothills and ridges of the Japanese Alps (part of the broader Hida
Mountains system). Parts of the city extend into mountainous terrain,
with portions within the boundaries of Hakusan National Park (centered
on Mount Hakusan farther south but encompassing some eastern areas). The
eastern districts feature high hills and peaks, while the western edge
meets the sea. Prominent local landmarks include Mount Utatsu
(Utatsuyama), which offers panoramic views over the city, castle, and
surrounding rivers, with shrines dotting its slopes.
Elevation in the
broader municipal area ranges from near or slightly below sea level
(minimum around -5 m / -16 ft along the coast or lowlands) to over 1,635
m (5,364 ft) at the highest eastern points in the mountains, with an
average elevation of roughly 177 m (581 ft). The historic core around
Kanazawa Castle lies in a low-lying area flanked by rivers and backed by
hills, creating a natural "fortress" topography that influenced its
development as a defensible samurai stronghold during the Edo period.
The terrain transitions from urban plains and river valleys westward to
steeper, forested slopes eastward.
Hydrologically, the Sai and Asano
Rivers are central features. Both originate in the mountainous interior
(Japanese Alps/Hakusan area) and flow westward across the plain before
emptying into the Sea of Japan. These rivers supplied water via diverted
canals and pipes to the castle moats and the famous Kenrokuen garden's
pond (Kasumi-ga-Ike, serving as an emergency reservoir). The Sai River
was extensively engineered historically for urban water supply and land
reclamation. The city also features castle moats (inner and outer,
originally dry or river-fed) and a network of canals. The coastline is
part of the Sea of Japan, characterized by sandy or rocky shores
influenced by strong winter winds and waves.
Kanazawa has a humid
subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), featuring hot, humid summers and cold,
very snowy winters. It is notably wetter and snowier than many other
Japanese cities at similar latitudes due to its position on the Sea of
Japan side of Honshu, where the winter monsoon (northwesterly winds)
picks up moisture over the sea and dumps heavy precipitation as snow or
rain upon hitting the coastal mountains. Annual average precipitation is
high at about 2,401.5 mm (94.55 inches), distributed across 193–194
rainy days per year, with peaks in autumn and winter (November–January
often exceeding 250 mm/month due to the Aleutian Low and monsoon
influences). Summers see convective rains, while winters bring prolonged
wet and snowy conditions. Average annual snowfall totals around 157 cm
(62 inches), concentrated from December to March (heaviest in January at
~67 cm).
Key temperature and climate statistics (1991–2020 normals,
Japan Meteorological Agency):
Annual mean temperature: 15.0 °C
(59.0 °F).
Mean daily maximum: 19.0 °C (66.2 °F); minimum: 11.5 °C
(52.7 °F).
Hottest month: August (mean 27.3 °C / 81.1 °F, daily max
31.3 °C / 88.3 °F).
Coldest month: January (mean 4.0 °C / 39.2 °F,
daily max 7.1 °C / 44.8 °F).
Record high: 38.5 °C (101.3 °F); record
low: −9.7 °C (14.5 °F).
Humidity averages ~70–75%, with summers
feeling muggy (dew points high) and winters cold and damp.
Sunshine:
~1,714 hours/year, with cloudier, shorter days in winter and more sun in
spring/summer.
Winds are stronger in winter (often
northerly/westerly, up to 13+ mph averages in Dec/Jan), calmer in
summer.
Seasonally: Summers (Jun–Sep) are hot/humid with
thunderstorms and typhoon risk; winters (Dec–Mar) are cold, windy, and
snowy, influencing architecture (sloped roofs, snow-shedding designs,
yukitsuri poles in gardens to support branches under heavy snow loads).
Spring and autumn offer milder transitions but remain wet. The growing
season is long (~9 months).
Natural and protected areas include
Kenrokuen, one of Japan's three most famous gardens (originally the
outer garden of Kanazawa Castle), spanning ~11 hectares/25 acres with
ponds, waterfalls, trees, and flowers; it is renowned for its winter
yukitsuri and seasonal beauty. Utatsuyama Park provides hiking and city
views. Eastern mountainous areas connect to broader alpine ecosystems
with forests, while coastal zones support local marine influences. The
city's cultural landscape, shaped by its rivers, hills, and snow, is
designated as an Important Cultural Landscape.
Urban geography is
shaped by these natural features: the historic center clusters around
Kanazawa Castle between the rivers, with preserved samurai and geisha
districts (Higashi Chaya, Kazue-machi) along the Asano River and castle
environs. Modern expansion spreads onto the plain, with newer districts
toward the east and coast. The layout leverages the rivers for defense,
water, and transport historically, while hills and mountains provide
scenic backdrops and recreation.
Surrounding geography features the
Sea of Japan to the immediate west (with ports and beaches), fertile
coastal plains transitioning eastward to the steep Japanese Alps
foothills and Hakusan National Park (known for its volcanic peak and
biodiversity). Neighboring areas include mountainous southern Ishikawa
and Toyama Prefecture across the border. The region's position on the
"snow country" (yukiguni) side of Japan accentuates heavy winter
precipitation compared to the Pacific side.
In addition to mechanical engineering and the textile industry, the most important economic sectors are arts and crafts. Gold leaf from Kanazawa, pottery (Kutani-yaki, Ohi-Yaki), silk painting (Kaga-Yuzen) and lacquerware (Wajima-nuri) from nearby Wajima on the Noto Peninsula are particularly famous.
There are two public and four private universities in Kanazawa.
Maeda Tsunanori (1643–1724), Tozama daimyō during the Edo period
Ganku (1756 or 1749–1839 or 1838), painter
Inokuchi Ariya
(1856–1923), founder of mechanical engineering and inventor of the
centrifugal pump
Uryū Sotokichi (1857–1937), admiral
Ōse Jintarō
(1866–1944), educator
Fujii Kenjirō (1866–1952), botanist
Fujioka
Sakutarō (1870–1910), literary scholar
Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki
(1870–1966), Buddhist author
Kyōka Izumi (1873–1939), writer
Kiryū
Yūyū (1873–1941), journalist
Nobuyuki Abe (1875–1953), general,
politician and 36th Prime Minister of Japan
Shūkō Yoshida
(1887–1946), painter
Saisei Murō (1889–1962), writer
Saiten Tamura
(1889–1933), painter
Hatakeyama Kinsei (1897–1995), painter
Akaji
Yūsai (1906–1984), lacquer artist
Hasegawa Norishige (1907–1998),
businessman
Shūgorō Hasuda (1915–2010), blacksmith
Chōzaemon Ōhi
(* 1927), ceramicist
Yoshio Koide (* 1942), physicist
Terumichi
Yamada (* 1953), Jazz musician
Yoshiya Minami (* 1971), porn actor
Dejima Takeharu (* 1974), sumo wrestler
Mamiko Noto (* 1980), voice
actress
Yōhei Koyama (* 1998), ski racer
Ryōya Taniguchi (* 1999),
football player