Myoryuji Ninja Temple

Myoryuji has nothing to do with ninja - the nickname is modern and the temple objects to it mildly - but the building is genuinely full of tricks. Built in 1643 by the Maeda lords, it functioned as a disguised outpost in the temple district south of Kanazawa Castle, and the Tokugawa regime restricted buildings to two storeys, so what looks like two from outside contains four levels and a mezzanine, with twenty-three rooms and twenty-nine staircases. Among them: a staircase with paper risers so light shows a person's feet from below, a trapdoor stair under a floor panel, a well shaft said to connect to a tunnel, a lookout tower disguised as a roof feature, and a room with no exit whose door locks from outside. Entry is by guided tour in Japanese only, on reservation, with an English printed guide provided; photography inside is not allowed.

What you actually see

• Four levels in a two-storey shell - built to evade a height restriction.
• Twenty-nine staircases - including a trapdoor stair and one with paper risers.
• A disguised lookout - a watch position built into the roof structure.
• Guided access only - Japanese tours on reservation, with a printed English guide.

When to go

All year. An hour. Reserve by phone or online well ahead.

Honest expectations

Reservation is compulsory and slots fill, particularly at weekends. Tours are in Japanese; the English guide is a booklet. Photography inside is prohibited. Stairs and passages are narrow and steep, and children under six are not admitted.

Nearby

The Teramachi temple district is around it; Higashi Chaya is across the river.