History of Kenrokuen Garden

[ Completion of Takezawa Palace on Chitosedai Plateau ]

In 1819, the 12th lord Narinaga fell ill and announced his retirement at the age of 37. He moved the clan schools elsewhere and built his retirement home on Chitosedai Plateau.

Takezawa Palace was completed in 1822. Situated on a vast lot, and boasting over 200 rooms, it was a very grand estate. Narinaga spent his days there watching Noh plays performed on the palace's two Noh stages. However, he died of measles in 1824, after having lived only one year and seven months in Takezawa Palace.

The vast Chitosedai Plateau on which Takezawa Palace was built.

[ The naming of Kenrokuen Garden ]

The generally accepted theory is that the 12th lord Narinaga had Matsudaira Sadanobu, the lord of the Shirakawa clan, name Kenrokuen Garden. Since there is no record of Sadanobu having visited Kanazawa, he probably made the request indirectly, through one of his retainers.

When Takezawa Palace was completed in 1822, the name "Kenrokuen" was provided by Sadanobu. About 150 years after the creation of Renchi-tei Garden, the garden of the fifth lord Tsunanori, the garden of the lord of Kaga was named "Kenrokuen".

Picture created based on the calligraphy of Matsudaira Sadanobu (Collection of Ishikawa Prefectural Museum for Traditional Products and Crafts)