Oyama-jinja Shrine

Oyama Jinja in Kanazawa is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the founding lord of the Kaga domain, and his wife Matsu. Built in 1873, the shrine is most recognized for its three-story shinmon gate completed in 1875, which blends Japanese, Chinese, and Western elements including stained glass in the upper tier. It was deliberately designed as a statement of Kanazawa's continued importance after the abolition of the domain system. The eastern gate predates even the shrine, surviving from the Azuchi-Momoyama period as one of the few structures that escaped the repeated fires at Kanazawa Castle. Both structures reward close attention.