Kanazawa 2019: Oyama Shrine (尾山神社)

On the west side of Kanazawa Castle is a Oyama Shrine, which was first established in 1599 and was originally located in a different part of the city but was moved to its current spot in 1873. Oyama Shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Maeda Toshiie, the first lord of the Maeda family that ruled the region around Kanazawa from 1583 to 1871. An equestrian statue of Maeda Toshiie can be found on the temple grounds.

What will catch most visitors’ attention is Oyama’s unusual entry gate. Constructed in 1875, the gate was designed by a Dutch architect and incorporates Japanese, European, and Chinese architectural styles. The top floor features stained glass windows, and there’s an unconfirmed story that the upper two levels of the gate were originally part of a lighthouse.

In the rear of the shrine is a garden area that features a wooden walkway that allows visitors to stroll across the shrine’s pond. Oyama Shrine sits on the former site of the Maeda family villa and although the villa’s buildings have been replaced the garden was kept and incorporated into the shrine.