Explore the Mysteries of Ninjadera

Kanazawa, sometimes affectionately referred to as “Little Kyoto,” was once home to a real array of samurai and geisha, and if the name “Ninjadera” (忍者寺, Ninja Temple) is anything to go by, you might think there were more than a few ninjas as well. Located south of the city’s Teramachi district and just a few blocks from the historic Nishi Chaya-gai teahouse district, the temple – officially named Myoryuji (妙立寺) – was constructed during the Edo era (1603-1868) by members of the Maeda Clan, who founded and ruled the Kanazawa area. Sadly, the temple itself has no direct connections with real ninja or ninjutsu, but its nickname and strong association with secretive ninja practices stem from the many elusive escape routes and traps planted throughout the temple during its construction. In this case, it may have been more of a ninja defense system than anything else – a necessity due to the shogun’s attempts at curtailing the power of regional nobility like the Maeda Clan.

Reserve a Spot on a Guided Tour

Given the mysterious allure of the temple and visitors’ strong desire to explore the temple’s secret passageways for themselves, crowds are simply impractical, and temple management has chosen to manage the situation by only allowing visitors with advance reservations. The temple does provide guided tours in Japanese (you will need a private guide if you want it translated), but English guidebooks are available upon request.

The tour offers a good look at the confusingly complex architecture inside the temple structures, highlighting spots like the trapdoor stairs and other surprising pitfalls hidden in unexpected corners.

Visitors cannot enter the actual temple hall without reservations, but anybody is welcome to wash their hands in the fountain and pray at the temple. Take a good look around in the mausoleum, and you might even spot the well that contains a secret passage leading to Kanazawa Castle!

Add the Maeda Clan’s Ninja Temple to Your Kanazawa Travel Itinerary

Ninjadera is located very close to Nishi Chaya-gai, making it easy to pair the two locations together when planning your visit to Ishikawa Prefecture. Both locations often get overlooked in place of the more famous Kanazawa sightseeing spots like Higashi Chaya-gai, Kenrokuen, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, but we highly recommend making time for this mysterious neighborhood while visiting Kanazawa!

Myoryuji Temple (妙立寺) / Ninjadera (忍者寺)
1-2-12 Nomachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Hours: 9:00 – 16:00
Phone: 076-241-0888
*Reservations are required to enter Myoryuji Temple, and must be made over the phone. (They accept phone reservations in English, but the tour will be in Japanese only.)
*Visitors who are late to their reservation will be left behind, so we recommend arriving 10 minutes early.
Official Website (en)

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