Kenrokuen Garden Autumn Leaves 2026 Confirmed
兼六園の紅葉 — Kanazawa, Ishikawa (Hokuriku)
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- Typical peak
- Tue, Nov 10 – Mon, Nov 30, 2026
- Venue
- Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
- Illumination
- “Kanazawa Castle & Kenrokuen Four Seasons — Autumn” light-up on selected evenings only — in 2026, seven nights: Nov 7, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29, 6:00pm–9:00pm with last entry at 8:45pm. Entry is free during the lit hours, the garden closes for the hour before to set up, and an evening can be cancelled or changed in bad weather.
- Scale
- ~340 maple trees
- Official site
- www.pref.ishikawa.jp
Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, and autumn is its most photogenic season: around 340 maples color from mid-to-late November among ponds, teahouses, and stone lanterns. What makes it unique is the timing overlap with yukitsuri — the elegant rope cones erected over the pines from early November to protect them from heavy snow — so you photograph red maples and snow-ready pines in one frame. The Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Shiki Monogatari autumn light-up runs mainly on weekends in mid-to-late November.
Background
Kenrokuen was developed over roughly two centuries by successive lords of the Maeda clan, rulers of the wealthy Kaga domain, as the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle. Its name means 'garden of the six sublimities,' and it opened to the public in the Meiji era.
Getting there
Kanazawa is about 2.5 hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. From Kanazawa Station, take the Kanazawa Loop Bus or JR bus about 15 minutes to the Kenrokuen-shita stop, then walk up the slope to the gate. The garden sits directly across from Kanazawa Castle Park, so pair the two.
Tips
- Admission is ¥320 — remarkably cheap for a garden of this caliber; early morning entry gets you the Kotoji Lantern before the tour groups form their photo line.
- In 2026 the autumn light-up runs on just seven evenings — Nov 7, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm (last entry 8:45pm) — with free entry during those hours. The garden closes for the hour before to set up, an evening can be cancelled or changed in bad weather, and long queues after dark are likely.
- Shoot the maples with the yukitsuri rope cones behind them near Kasumigaike Pond — that pairing exists only in this narrow November window.
- Combine with Kanazawa Castle Park, the Higashi Chaya teahouse district, and Omicho Market, all walkable or one bus stop apart.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to see Kenrokuen Garden Autumn Leaves?
- Autumn color here usually peaks Nov 10 – Nov 30. Color depends on how cold the nights have been, and peak can land a week either side of the usual window, so check a foliage forecast about a week out.
Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Wed, October 7, 2026