Kanazawa Castle was the seat of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful daimyo family in Edo-period Japan. The castle park surrounds the site, and several of the original structures have been carefully reconstructed. The Ishikawa-mon gate — the main entrance — is an original building from 1788 and is the most photogenic element of the complex.
Inside the park, the rebuilt turrets and connecting passageways can be explored. The view from the walls across to Kenroku-en, directly adjacent, is excellent. The park is free to enter; the reconstructed buildings have a small admission charge. The best approach is to combine the castle with Kenroku-en, which are separated by only a path.