The garden was specifically reconstructed based on a painting titled 'Gyokusen-inmaru Garden Picture' from the late Edo period.
The site features a technique called 'ishigaki,' where the stone walls of the castle are intentionally incorporated as a backdrop to the garden scenery.
It contains a three-tiered rock formation known as 'Sanzon-seki,' representing a traditional Buddhist triad, a feature commonly found in prestigious Japanese gardens.
During the restoration, archaeologists found foundations for various water features, allowing the current engineers to replicate the original water flow systems.
The garden was deliberately designed to be viewed from the second floor of the former palace buildings, which no longer exist today.
Gyokusen-inmaru Garden is a reconstructed Edo-period strolling garden located within the grounds of Kanazawa Castle. It was originally built in 1634 by Toshitsune Maeda, the third lord of the Kaga Domain, as a private garden for his wife, Gyokusen-in. The site was restored and opened to the public in 2015 based on historical maps and archaeological excavations. The garden features a central pond with a diverse array of rock arrangements and stone bridges. It utilizes the topographical change of the site to integrate the garden with the surrounding castle walls. A wooden rest house, the Gyokusen-an, overlooks the garden and offers views of the pond. The landscape is designed to change significantly with the seasons, incorporating maple trees and pine varieties. It serves as a visual bridge between the castle's defensive stone walls and the aesthetic values of samurai-era landscape architecture.
The elevated viewing platform near the rest house provides an unobstructed wide-angle view of the entire pond and the castle wall backdrop.
Visit the Gyokusen-an rest house to enjoy traditional matcha and Japanese sweets while overlooking the pond.
Walk the wooden boardwalks carefully, as they are intentionally low to the water to provide a different perspective of the stone walls.
Do not mistake this for the larger Kenrokuen Garden; they are separate sites within the same general castle park area.
Closed during the annual year-end and New Year holidays; sometimes closes temporarily for specialized garden maintenance.
Stay on the designated paths to protect the delicate moss and landscaping; do not step into the pond or onto the decorative rocks.
