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Japan’s commitment to the preservation of its heritage draws in the masses and has led Japan to a carefully curated image of traditional and contemporary intertwinement. There are various pillars of Japanese society that function as beacons of history that shine light on Japan’s remote but fascinating history. You may see shrines and temples as the relics of the past, but another excellent lens is Japan’s many medieval castles. Unlike the imposing fortresses of Germany or Spain, Japanese castles often blend into their surroundings — at times, they might even be mistaken for elegant manor homes. Nevertheless, the history is fascinating in every case, be it a mountain top castles like Iwakuni Castle or a fortress gazing over flatlands like Hikone Castle or even just the remnants of a medieval marvel like Takeda Castle Ruins, there is a lot to be appreciated about Japanese Castles.

Visitors to the Hokuriku region are most likely well aware of the reconstructions of nearby castles such as Kanazawa, Toyama and Ono castles, you can even find one of the twelve original remaining castles in Maruoka just a short train ride away. Reconstructions of medieval castles serve a big purpose: they teach us about a history that seems distant but serves as the backbone of contemporary society and how communities existed back when there was a necessity for castles. That being said, given the extent to which Japanese castles have been destroyed throughout history, it gives room for wondering which ones weren’t rebuild and whose stories remain unknown by the average person.

Let’s talk about one.

Komatsu Castle

If you look up Komatsu Castle on google maps, you may be disappointed to find little more than some stone ruins that originally constituted the base of one of the elements of the castle. However, the lore behind this beautiful stone framework is fuel for daydreaming of the titan that was Komatsu Castle.

During the warring states period, Japan existed as a chaotic patchwork of states which stimulated the necessity for defensive castes. This was when Komatsu Castle was originally fortified. Specifically, in 1576, the Ikko-Ikki — a rebel group backed by the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism — fortified the site to resist the ruling powers of the time. The operation was specifically led by Nagato Wakabayashi at the same time as which he was credited to having begun creating flood controls for the Kakehashi river. After the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga domain, took over and incorporated into what was then the Kaga Domain.

In comes Maeda Toshitsune, a samurai from the Maeda clan who was the second daimyo (leader) of the Kaga domain. He was a powerful individual who served as the lord of the Kaga, Noto and Ecchu domains and was involved in the Siege of Osaka as the leader of the Maeda army, one of the largest components of the Tokugawa forces. The point being that he was a very important figure in Japanese history and lived from 1593 to 1658.

With special permission from the Edo Shogunate, he began investing in Komatsu Castle, gradually expanding it into a sprawling fortress that rivaled Kanazawa Castle. Remarkably, Komatsu Castle was designed as a “floating castle,” spanning twelve interconnected islands. He invited artisans from all over the country to work on his masterpiece. His reason? It was to be where he wanted to retire. At this point, he split the Kaga domain between himself and his heirs, a clever move to give the allusion that the Kaga domain had diminished in power without actually affecting the influence of the Maeda family. This move briefly made Komatsu Castle the political center of the Kaga Domain.

With his retirement to Komatsu Castle, it stimulated the arrival of artisans, merchants and samurai in Komatsu. Unlike Kanazawa Castle, Komatsu Castle was located in an area with little but marsh overgrowth and undeveloped land around it, leaving Toshitsune with the creative freedom to construct his castle how he pleased. The impressive work he created eventually came to be a symbol of Komatsu.

Structure:

Typically, Japanese castles consist of multiple defensive rings. As a water castle, Komatsu Castle’s rings were each surrounded by moats. The honmaru, also known as the main circle, is located where you can currently find the stone remains of Komatsu castle. The ninomaru (the second circle) consisted of an island that was also connected to three other islands that encompassed the honmaru, these islands were called Biwajima, Nakadoi and Yoshijima and were each connected with bridges. This ring of islands was subsequently connected to the honmaru by three bridges. As Komatsu Castle grounds sprawl out, it becomes a more complex collection of tributaries and land masses. One of such examples is the sannomaru (third circle) which is where you can find Rojo Park. The castle’s outer waterways were not just defensive barriers — they were vital arteries, linking Komatsu Castle to the sea and the bustling Port of Asaka. Through these channels, culture and treasures from Kyoto flowed into the castle: delicate tea wares, elegant scrolls, and the refined sensibilities of the capital.

Unfortunately, in 1872, most of the moats, buildings, and walls that made up Komatsu Castle, were demolished. Initially, Komatsu castle, which despite existing in the same domain as Kanazawa had been exempt from a decree that state each domain was only to contain one castle. Toshitsune had essentially found a loophole in the decree by allocating Komatsu Castle as a retirement castle. Ultimately, the castle was abandoned when the Shogunate, wary of Toshitsune and the Kaga domain’s economic power, sought to send a clear message — even powerful lords could not maintain personal castles. The land was sold for residential development and elements such as the Unagibashi Gate was relocated to Raishoji temple. Elements such as the main tower were taken apart by inmates of Komatsu prison under orders from the government.

    You want to see this castle I hear you say?

Of course, no photographs exist from this era, leaving much of Komatsu Castle’s grandeur to the imagination. Although, records say that the grounds of Komatsu Castle encompass a significant chunk of Komatsu’s city center, including where City Hall currently lies, up north as far as Komatsu Tenmangu Shrine. Remarkably, upon deeper inquiry, other elements of the castle still remain intact that are less explicit indicators that they were once a part of a castle, let’s take a look at what we can see today:

The Castle tower has, for the greater part, been lost to the years, though what does till stand is the tower’s large stone walls which are ten meters wide. These walls boast an impressive use of the construction method called “kirikomihagi”, in which stones are cut into straights lines in order to be piled up without gaps.

The remaining stone base of the honmaru

Nearby Rojo Park was also, as previously mentioned, located where the third circle of Komatsu Castle. Within which you can find a statue of the man himself, Maeda Toshitsune. Rojo Park was not actually a part of Komatsu Castle, it didn’t actually exist in the same time frame – Rojo park was founded to leave a vestige of Komatsu Castle, to commemorate what had initially previously been iconic to Komatsu. The third circle of Komatsu castle was where Toshitsune took up residence from 1640 in a place called the Sannomaru Hall. The statue was erected in Rojo park in 1916 in honor of the outstanding virtue of Toshitsune and his contributions to the region’s development.

Statue of Toshitsune Maeda

Have you ever paid a visit to Raishoji Temple? If you have, you might be surprised to learn that the temple gate originally belonged to Komatsu Castle. It once stood next to the old Unagi Bridge, near the present-day site of Komatsu High School. It was then later brought to Raishoji in the year 1872 when Komatsu Castle was disassembled.

The real-life relocated gate.

Nearby to Raishoji temple is Yoshijima shrine, an interesting point to note is that this was actually the grounds of a former Inari shrine but after the demolition was merged with Atago shrine to create the Yoshijima Shrine we have today. Merging shrines was a common practice in the Meiji period.

Yoshijima Shrine

Komatsu City Museum contains relics such as a smoked roof tiles and ceiling boards that were made during the castle’s renovations. Strikingly, there even exists sliding doors with paintings that are said to have been actually used in Komatsu Castle! In addition, the “Nikai Gotei Amon” entranceway, a wooden gate that was situated on the original honmaru of Komatsu Castle, and the “Yoshijima Gotei Amon” are also present in the museum.

Conclusion

History is often shaped by what survives — but just as important are the stories of what was lost. Komatsu Castle, once a jewel of the Kaga Domain, may no longer stand in full glory, but its legacy still shapes the city today. By learning and sharing its story, we ensure that Komatsu Castle, and the spirit of those who built it, are never truly forgotten.

Walking through Komatsu today, it’s hard to imagine that beneath the modern streets once stood a floating castle — a marvel of architecture and ambition. It’s a story I hope more people discover, because in remembering Komatsu Castle, we remember how even the grandest dreams can leave their mark on a city’s soul.

I wonder what else may be lurking in the mystery of the past…