Kenrokuen is magnificent, and Higashi Chaya is worth every photograph. But Ishikawa Prefecture contains enough genuinely surprising places to fill a second or third visit — and most of them see only a fraction of the crowds that queue for the garden’s moss and lanterns. This guide points you toward the corners of Ishikawa that reward the curious traveler willing to stray slightly from the obvious circuit.

Myoryuji — the Ninja Temple

The name on the map reads Myoryuji, and it is indeed a functioning Buddhist temple, founded in 1643 by the second Maeda lord, Toshitsune. But the building that stands near the Nomachi tram stop is unlike any temple you have visited before. Officially a prayer hall for the ruling Maeda clan, it was designed to double as a defensive fortress — and its architects took that assignment seriously.

Inside the compact exterior hides a labyrinth: 23 rooms, 29 staircases, a well that was said to connect by tunnel to Kanazawa Castle, reversible stairs that become ramps when the handrails are removed, trap doors above stairwells, a hidden chamber behind the main altar, and a seppuku room where unwelcome visitors could be encouraged to take their leave permanently. The seven-storey interior appears from the outside to be only three. Hidden Christians used the building during the Edo-period suppression.

Entry is by guided tour only (¥1,000), conducted in Japanese with a printed English explanation sheet. Tours run approximately every 30 minutes. You must book in advance by phone: 076-241-0888. The temple fills quickly on weekends and public holidays, so call at least a few days ahead. Getting there is straightforward — take bus 21 from Kanazawa Station to Nomachi, about 15 minutes. It is, genuinely, one of the most surprising interiors in Japan.

Gyokusen-en Garden

Immediately adjacent to Kanazawa Castle Park — so close that most visitors walk past the gate without registering it — Gyokusen-en is a private Edo-period stroll garden that most tourists miss entirely. Built by a wealthy merchant family over three generations beginning in the early 1600s, it occupies a steep-sided ravine that the designers exploited brilliantly: the garden descends in terraces, linked by stone bridges, past three cascading waterfalls that feed a clear central pond.

Where Kenrokuen rewards a broad strolling loop, Gyokusen-en rewards stopping. Sit at the teahouse and watch the water move. On weekday mornings there may be a dozen visitors at most. A tea ceremony costs ¥1,500 and includes seasonal sweets. Garden admission alone is ¥720. Hours are 9am to 4pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday in winter. The entrance is on the south side of Kanazawa Castle Park, signed in both Japanese and English.

Oyama Shrine’s Dutch Gate

Five minutes' walk from Omicho Market stands one of the most quietly remarkable structures in Ishikawa. The Shinmon gate of Oyama Shrine, completed in 1875, was designed during the early Meiji period when Western and Japanese aesthetics were being combined in ways that have rarely been repeated. Three tiers rise from a base of Japanese shrine architecture through European Gothic pointed arches to a lantern room set with Dutch stained glass, which once served as a lighthouse for ships entering Kanazawa Port.

The shrine is dedicated to Toshiie Maeda, the founding lord of Kanazawa, and remains an active place of worship. Entry to the grounds is free. The gate alone justifies the short detour from the tourist market circuit — it is a genuine Meiji-era artifact that survived the 20th century intact, and stands as evidence of how creatively Japanese craftsmen absorbed foreign influences when given freedom to interpret them.

Shirayama Hime Shrine and Mount Hakusan

In southern Ishikawa, at the base of the Hakusan mountain range, the Shirayama Hime Shrine serves as the head shrine of over 3,000 Shirayama Hime shrines scattered across Japan. The deity enshrined here, Kukurihime-no-kami, is associated with mountains, fertility, and the binding power of words — a fitting guardian for a shrine that sits at the entrance to one of Japan’s three sacred peaks.

The forested approach is lined with ancient cryptomeria cedars, their trunks wrapped in moss, the air carrying the particular silence that accumulates in old-growth forest. The Tede River runs alongside the path. On a clear day, the snow-covered summit of Hakusan (2,702 metres) is visible above the treeline. In summer, the mountain opens for hiking and the trail begins just beyond the shrine precinct.

Getting here requires some planning. The Hokkeji bus from Kanazawa runs infrequently; a rental car makes access far easier and allows you to continue into the Shirakawa-go direction along the river valley. Allow half a day minimum — more if you intend to climb.

Oku-Noto: Suzu and the Noroshi Lighthouse

Most Noto Peninsula visitors reach Wajima and turn back. The final stretch of the peninsula — the section called Oku-Noto (Inner Noto) — stretches another 50 kilometres northeast, growing quieter and more windswept the further you go. The city of Suzu sits near the tip, known for its Noto salt, harvested by a traditional method of drawing seawater across sloped boards to concentrate it before evaporation. Several salt farms welcome visitors.

At the absolute tip of the peninsula, the Noroshi lighthouse stands on a cliff above crashing Sea of Japan surf. The surrounding headland is a designated natural monument — a grassy promontory with uninterrupted views and wind that leans against you. The nearest accommodation is a cluster of minshuku (family-run guesthouses) in Suzu; staying overnight turns the long drive into an immersive encounter with a Japan that has changed very little in the past century. Allow 2.5 hours by car from Kanazawa for this journey; the scenery on the Ushitsu coast road rewards a slower pace.

Higashiyama Temple District

Walk uphill from the Higashi Chaya teahouse district and the crowds thin almost immediately. The Higashiyama temple area stretches for roughly a kilometre along a hillside lane, its rows of Buddhist temple gates punctuated by the occasional cemetery and small craft gallery. Tentoku-in, the mausoleum garden of the third Maeda lord’s wife, charges ¥500 and receives a fraction of the visitors who queue below for chaya admission. The garden is a formal composition of stone lanterns, moss, and a central pond — intimate in scale, well-maintained, and usually very quiet.

The entire walk from Higashi Chaya up through the temple district and back down through Kazuemachi Chaya can be done in two hours at a relaxed pace. The area is best in early morning or late afternoon when the light catches the temple eaves and the teahouse lanterns begin to glow.

Practical Notes

  • Myoryuji booking: Phone 076-241-0888 at least several days in advance; tours in English interpretation only (sheet provided). Closed January 1.
  • Gyokusen-en: Open 9am–4pm; closed Tue–Wed in winter. ¥720 entry, ¥1,500 with tea ceremony.
  • Oyama Shrine: Free entry; 5-minute walk north from Omicho Market.
  • Shirayama: Best reached by rental car. The Hokkeji bus runs 2–3 times daily from Kanazawa Station (45 minutes).
  • Oku-Noto: Rental car essential. Suzu Tourist Information (0768-82-7665) can advise on salt farm visits and minshuku.
  • Higashiyama temple walk: Free to walk; Tentoku-in ¥500. No bus needed — walkable from Higashi Chaya tram stop.