Discover Your Favorite Giant Trees!

Kanazawa, Ishikawa

Take a walk around the castle townof Kanazawa to discover giant trees
and feel the history!
The townscape of Kanazawa and its uniqueculture and art have been formed since theEdo era. In the city, there are many historicgardens, temples and shrines, such as Kenrokuen Garden, one of the three greatest
gardens in Japan. Also, Kanazawa is dottedwith carefully preserved giant and old trees.
Here is a two-hour course to walk in andaround Kenrokuen Garden while thinking
about the old days.

The yukizuri ropes, snow protection
for trees in Kenrokuen Garden(photo provided by Kanazawa City)【Access】
To Spot 1 "Dome-shaped Japanese chinquapin"(Shiinoki Cultural Complex)
・ Car: 10 min. from Kanazawa Station. 20 min.
from Kanazawa Higashi IC, Kanazawa Nishi IC, or
Kanazawa Morimoto IC.
• Bus: 1 min. walk from the stop "Hirosaka - 21stCentur y Museum" by K anaz awa Lo op Bus,
Kenrokuen Shuttle Bus, Hokuriku Rail Road Bus, orWest Japan Railway Bus. 2 min. walk from the stop"Kanazawa 21st Century Museum - Kenrokuen"
by Kanazawa Loop Bus. 1 min. walk from the stop
"21st Century Museum" on Kikukawa Route or "CityHall - 21st Century Museum" on Zaimoku Route by
Kanazawa FURATTO (Flat) Bus.

The beautiful twins at Shiinoki
Cultural Complex

Dome-shaped Japanesechinquapin (Castanopsis sieboldii )Giant Japanese chinquapintrees (Castanopsis sieboldii )in Honda-no-Mori Park

Two Japanese chinquapin trees stand in front of
the entrance of Shiinoki Cultural Complex. There
are several opinions about their origins: some say
they were originally in the garden of the studyof Toshitsune Maeda, the third chief of the Kaga
Maeda clan, while others say that they weretransplanted from the residence of Denzo Otsuki
known for the Kaga feud.

Honda-no-Mori Park is a hidden spot for giant-tree lovers. There is a broad-leaved evergreen forest of trees representative of and native
to Kanazawa such as Japanese persea, Japanesechinquapin, and Japanese evergreen oak. In thisalmost untouched forest, there are several giant
Japanese chinquapin trees with their trunk girth
exceeding 500 cm.

Trunk girth Left: 2,580 cm / Right: 1,750 cm
Height 11 m (both) Est.age 400 years oldPreservation status Natural Monuments of Japan

Trunk girth 731 cm *Largest Japanese chinquapin tree
Height 17 m Est.age Unknown

The symbolic pine tree ofKenrokuen Garden

Neagarimatsu pine(Pinus thunbergii ),a tree with raised roots,at Kenrokuen GardenThis pine tree is said to be planted on a mound inits youth by Nariyasu Maeda, the 13th chief of theMaeda clan, who later removed the soil to reveal
the roots. Perfected by landscaping techniques,
this giant tree is beautiful like a bonsai, with anoverwhelming view of some 40 large and smallroots rising up to two meters above ground.

*Please check with the bus company before you
travel as services are subject to change.
Kenrokuen Garden and Kanazawa Castle Park
opening hours
March 1 - October 15 7:00-18:00
October 16 - End of February 8:00-17:00
Kenrokuen Garden admission fee
Adults (age 18+) ¥320 Children (age 6-17) ¥100
* As of the end of January 2021

The secret giant tree spot

Trunk girth 386 cm Height 10 m Est.age Unknown

In remembrance of the botanical garden atthe former Kanazawa University campus

The Japanese chinquapin tree
(Castanopsis sieboldii )in Kanazawa Castle Park
Kanazawa Castle Park is a place where virgin forests remain the most in the center of Kanazawa.
Kanazawa Castle was used as an army facility
from the Meiji era to the pre-World War II period,and later became a part ofthe Kanazawa Universitycampus. During the time ofKanazawa University, themain enclosure of the castle
was turned into a botanicalgarden. Its site is now a parkwith giant trees such as Japanese chinquapin, Japanesepersea, and Japanese fira highly attractive spot for
giant-tree lovers.
Trunk girth 556 cm Height 20 m Est.age Unknown

The giant trees in harmony withthe historic buildings

Japanese zelkova trees(Zelkova serrata ) in Honda-noMori ParkThe Japanese zelkova tree stands at the square ofHonda-no-Mori Park under the bright sun. There
are 15 giant trees in total at the square: five Japanese zelkova trees and 10 Japanese chinquapin
trees (counted by Ishikawa
Giant Tree Association). The
Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art and many othercultural facilities are locatedaround the square. The National Crafts Museum has
also been moved to rightnear this Japanese zelkova
tree in October 2020.

Trunk girth 759 cm *Main trunk 500 cm (data by Ishikawa
Giant Tree Association: 808 cm *Main trunk 512 cm)
Height 20 m (Ishikawa Giant Trees Association data: 23 m)
Est.age Unknown

Survey on Giant Trees
The Ministry of the Environment has been conducting
the Survey on Giant Trees since 1988 as a part of theSurvey on Natural Environment. It targets trees whosetrunk girth is 300 cm or more at 130 cm above theground level.
For information on giant trees, pleasecheck out the Giant Trees Database.

https://kyoju.biodic.go.jp/(*Japanese only )The Japanese Association ofBig Trees and Forests
If you are interested in giant trees and forests, checkout the Japanese Association of Big Trees and Forests! The association carries out activities related togiant trees, such as giant tree observation meetings,
publication of the newsletter “GiantTrees” and organization of the National
Forum on Giant Trees.

http://www.kyojyu.com/(*Japanese only )The symbolic pine tree of Kenrokuen Garden
Neagarimatsu pine (Pinus thunbergii ), a tree

Discover Your Favorite Giant Trees!

with raisedroots, at Kenrokuen Garden

Kanazawa, Ishikawa

Take a walk around the castle townof Kanazawa to discover
giant trees and feel the history!
Required time:
2 hour walk (2 km)

1Japanese Persea

Katsurazaka

Katsurazaka
Gate
Tsuru-no-Maru Rest House

Dome-shaped Japanesechinquapin
7 min. walk (350 m)

2Ishikawa-mon Gate

Trunk girth 386 cm Height 10 m Est. age Unknown
Address Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa

Giant Japanese chinquapin trees in Hondano-Mori Park

Japanese Zelkova on
Yamazakiyama Hill
KarasakiPine Tree

Katsura Tree

Kanazawa Castle Parkin Honda-no-Mori Park

Hisago-ikePond

10 min. walk (500 m)

420 min. walk (950 m)

5The Japanese chinquapin tree in Kanazawa
Castle Park

Ishikawa Gokoku
ShrineKenrokuen
GardenTsurumaru Storehouse

Japanese zelkova trees

Neagarimatsu pine, atree with raised roots, at
Kenrokuen Garden

Kodatsuno Gate

Kasumiga-ike Pond

5 min. walk (250 m)

345
In remembrance of the botanical garden at

Conservation and Kanazawa Shrine
Restoration
Studio of Cultural
Properties, Ishikawa
Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefectural
Museum of Art

Red Torii Gates

the former Kanazawa University campus

JapaneseWhite Pine

The Japanese chinquapin tree
(Castanopsis sieboldii ) in Kanazawa Castle Park
Trunk girth 556 cm Height 20 m Est. age Unknown
Address 1-1 Marunouchi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa

A lit tle fur ther afield

The giant Japanese zelkova treeat Shinmeiguu Shrine
Among old and giant trees and forests remaining inKanazawa, this Japanese zelkova tree boasts thelargest trunk girth in the city at 897 cm (measuredin 2017) and is estimated to be over 800 years old.
Shinmeiguu Shrine is close to Myouryuji Temple
known as “Ninjadera Temple” for its various tricks
such as secret stairs; the cherry tree at Shogetsuji
Temple designated as a National Natural Monumentof Japan; and the Nishi Chaya District, one of thethree geisha districts in Kanazawa. You can enjoy astroll around the town in the traditional atmosphere.

Ishiura Shrine
21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art, Kanazawa

Shiinoki CulturalComplex
The beautiful twins at Shiinoki
Cultural Complex

Dome-shaped Japanesechinquapin (Castanopsis sieboldii )Trunk girth Left: 2,580 cm / Right: 1,750 cm
Height 11 m (both) Est. age 400 years old
Preservation status Natural Monuments of Japan
Address 2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa

1Honda - no National CraftsMuseum- Mori ParkThe secret giant tree spot

Giant Japanese chinquapintrees (Castanopsis sieboldii )in Honda-no-Mori Park
Trunk girth 731 cm *Largest Japanese chinquapin tree
Height 17 m Est. age Unknown
Address Dewamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa

23The giant trees in harmony withthe historic buildings
Japanese zelkova trees (Zelkovaserrata) in Honda-no-Mori Park
Trunk girth 759 cm *Main trunk 500 cm (data by
Ishikawa Giant Tree Association: 808 cm *Main trunk512 cm) Height 20 m (Ishikawa Giant Trees Association
data: 23 m) Est. age Unknown
Address 3 Dewamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa