Kenrokuen Garden (兼六園) in Kanazawa is one of Japan's three great gardens. In autumn the maples and zelkova around Yamazaki-yama turn red and gold, and the colors reflect off the surface of Kasumigaike Pond (霞ヶ池).
This guide covers the three things you need to plan a visit for the 2026 season: when the leaves peak, the hours and admission, and the exact dates of the after-dark "Aki no Dan" illumination, which runs on seven weekend nights from November 7. For other destinations, see Japan Autumn Leaves 2026: Peak Timing and 8 Top Spots by Region.
The 2026 illumination runs only on the seven dates listed below, all in November. Not every weekend is lit, and there is nothing on weekdays or the November 23 holiday, so lock in a date before you build your evening around it.
Peak timing: November
The Kenrokuen tourist association says only that "the garden's autumn colors are at their best in November." It does not pin down a specific week, so plan for color at some point across the month rather than a single peak weekend.
The prettiest corner is Yamazaki-yama, where the maples and zelkova cluster together. Early in November the staff also start the yukitsuri (雪吊り) work, roping the branches into cones to protect them from heavy snow, so you often see the fall color and the winter ropework in the same frame.
Hours and admission
In November the garden runs on its shorter winter hours, 8:00 to 17:00. If you are coming late in the day, get in well before the 17:00 closing.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Hours (Oct 16 – end of Feb) | 8:00–17:00 |
Adult admission | ¥320 |
Ages 6–17 | ¥100 |
Under 6 & 65 and over | Free (ID required) |
Address | 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa |
The only day the garden is free all day in autumn is Culture Day, November 3. There is no general "free during foliage season" period. The evenings of the illumination are the exception, when entry is free for the lit-up hours only.
The "Aki no Dan" Illumination 2026: 7 Nights from November 7
Ishikawa Prefecture runs an after-dark lighting event called "Kanazawa Castle & Kenrokuen: Tales of the Four Seasons — Aki no Dan." For the autumn-foliage stretch of 2026, the garden is lit on these Saturdays and Sundays.
Date (November 2026) | Day |
|---|---|
November 7 | Sat |
November 14 | Sat |
November 15 | Sun |
November 21 | Sat |
November 22 | Sun |
November 28 | Sat |
November 29 | Sun |
Lighting runs from 18:00 to 20:45, and the garden closes at 21:00. Entry to Kenrokuen is free during these lit-up hours. Kanazawa Castle Park and Gyokusen'inmaru Garden next door are lit on the same nights.
As the list shows, lighting falls on weekends — but not every weekend. There is none on weekdays, none on the November 23 national holiday (Labor Thanksgiving Day), and a few weekend days are skipped (for example, Sunday November 8). If the night view is your goal, build your trip around one of the seven dates above.
One thing the official pages do not state is what happens in the rain, so if the forecast looks bad, check with the organizer on the day rather than assuming it goes ahead.
Day or night: how to plan
By day you can take your time with the Yamazaki-yama color and the view across Kasumigaike Pond. There's an admission fee, but you can enter any time the garden is open.
The evening opening only happens on the Saturdays and Sundays above. Night entry is free, but the dates are limited. If you can only do one, make the daytime visit your anchor and add the evening if your dates land on a weekend.
Note that the daytime garden closes at 17:00 and the evening entry starts at 18:00. You cannot stay inside from afternoon straight through to the evening, so you'll need to leave and re-enter for the night session.
What to wear in Kanazawa in November
Kanazawa sits on the Hokuriku coast, where it gets noticeably colder than Tokyo through November. The temperature drops once the sun sets, so the evening hours in particular feel cold.
Hokuriku is also known for shigure, the sudden passing rain showers of late autumn. It can start raining even on a clear day, so a folding umbrella is worth carrying. For a fuller month-by-month rundown, see What to Wear in Japan in Autumn 2026.
If you are doing both day and night, bring a layer you can take on and off to stay comfortable both while walking around and while standing still to look up at the lit trees.
Getting there from Kanazawa Station
From stop 6 at the Kenrokuen exit (the former east exit) of JR Kanazawa Station, the Kanazawa Loop Bus runs every 15 minutes. It costs ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for children, and you get off at "Kenrokuen-shita / Kanazawa Castle," right by the garden. The ride is about 10 minutes.
The loop bus stops running in the early evening, with its last departure at 18:05. If you are going on one of the November 7–29 illumination nights, switch to the Kanazawa Light-Up Bus, which runs from 19:00. It also leaves from stop 6 every 15 minutes, costs ¥300 for adults and ¥150 for children, and the last bus is at 21:45.
By day, take the Loop Bus; on the illumination nights (from November 7), take the Light-Up Bus. Both drop you at the same stop, "Kenrokuen-shita / Kanazawa Castle."
Official site: 兼六園スイーツやお食事処のご案内、また兼六園をめぐるガイドツアーや季節の見どころなど、兼六園をより楽しむための情報をご紹介しています。兼六園観光協会の公式ウェブサイトです。兼六園めぐり | 兼六園観光協会
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.
