S P O T ／ SPOT-194
Myoryu-ji Temple (Ninja Temple)
妙立寺（忍者寺）みょうりゅうじ（にんじゃでら）
A Nichiren-sect temple relocated to its present site in the twentieth year of Kan'ei (1643) by Maeda Toshitsune, the third lord of the Kaga domain. Though the exterior presents the appearance of a two-storey building, the interior comprises four storeys and seven levels, with 23 rooms and 29 staircases — a labyrinthine architectural configuration. The structure incorporates numerous concealed defensive features devised to counter surveillance by the Edo shogunate: a pitfall-concealing offertory box, a ritual suicide chamber, hidden staircases, and a staircase with paper-screen risers designed to cast an enemy's shadow in silhouette for attack by lance. A well of cut Tomuro stone 25 metres deep — said by tradition to connect underground to Kanazawa Castle — is also incorporated. The building has survived to the present day without destruction by wartime bombing or major fire, preserving the architectural fabric of the early Edo period intact.
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01A four-storey, seven-level, 23-room, 29-staircase labyrinthine architectural structure — the exterior presents the appearance of a two-storey building
- 02Concealed defensive features throughout: a pitfall offertory box, a ritual suicide chamber, hidden staircases, and paper-screen stair risers designed to silhouette intruders for lance attack
- 03A Tomuro-stone well 25 metres deep — said by tradition to connect via a lateral passage to Kanazawa Castle
- 04Illumination-admitting shoji-screen stair risers (designed to project the shadow of an enemy's foot for lance attack from below)
- 05The 1643 relocated structure has survived to the present without wartime destruction or major fire — the architectural atmosphere of early Edo-period defensive anxiety remains palpable
A C C E S S ／ M E T A
Essentials
- Location
- Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa City
- Address
- 石川県金沢市野町1-2-12
- Fee
- 大人（中学生以上）1200円・小学生800円・団体・障がい者1000円。未就学児入館不可
- Hours
- 9:00〜16:00（土日祝は16:30まで）。1月1日・法要日休館
- Status
- 現存（現役寺院・完全予約制見学）
- Official
- http://www.myouryuji.or.jp
D E E P D I V E
Deep Dive
Religion
Religion
A Nichiren Buddhist temple (mountain name: Shokyuzan). The main hall's inner sanctuary enshrines the Nichiren mandala and Kishimojin. The tearoom 'Kasumono-Ma' features decorative alcoves representing the full moon, hazy clouds, and Mount Fuji, with a deliberately low ceiling to prevent sword or spear use—reflecting the coexistence of martial and aesthetic elements.
Architecture
Architecture
While appearing to be two stories from outside, the interior comprises four floors in seven layers (including multiple mezzanines), with 23 rooms and 29 staircases. Buildings over three stories were prohibited at the time, necessitating this disguise. A watchtower at the roof's peak once had panes of colorful glass (gyaman) for signaling across the Kaga Plain. Known mechanisms include: translucent shoji steps for detecting infiltrators by shadow, a lifting-floor escape route, a trapdoor offering box, a warrior staging room (mezzanine) with five hidden doors, a 25-meter-deep well carved from tomurostori stone (said to connect via tunnel to Kanazawa Castle), and a mural concealing an escape hatch. No blueprints survive, and undiscovered mechanisms may still exist.
Cultural Property
Cultural Property
No confirmed individual national or prefectural cultural property designation has been identified for the temple building (uncertain information). However, it holds high value as an Edo-period architectural artifact. The Teramachi Temple Quarter in which it is located has been designated a National Important Preservation District for Historic Buildings.