Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle 金沢城
Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Nagaya and yagura
Type	Japanese castle
Site history
Built by	Sakuma Morimasa
In use	1580-1871

Kanazawa Castle (金沢城, Kanazawa-jō^?) is a large, well-restored castle in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located adjacent to the celebrated Kenroku-en Garden, which once formed the castle's private outer garden.

Two hundred and fifty regional lords, called daimyōs, ruled over large domains in 16th century Japan. Though they were subordinate to the shogunate, they were relatively autonomous. Each daimyō asserted proprietary rights, levied taxes, established judicial procedures, and issued laws within his jurisdiction. Many constructed jōkamachi, or castle towns, across the Japanese countryside.Maeda Toshiie was one such daimyō. He was the fourth son of a minor samurai family, but entered the service of a powerful daimyo and warlord when he was 15. Thanks to his skill in battle, he rose quickly through the ranks, and in 1581 became daimyo of the province of Noto. Two years later, he also controlled portions of the Kaga area, including the town of Kanazawa. Under his rule, Kanazawa began to grow.

The castle was greatly reconstructed in 1592 after the first of Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea, at which time its moats were dug. It was burned down and reconstructed in 1620–21 and again in 1631–32, then almost completely gutted in the great Kanazawa fire of 1759, and rebuilt in 1762 and 1788 (Ishikawa-mon Gate). After several minor fires and an earthquake, it was again destroyed by fire in 1881.