Sanshiro Pond, formally known as Ikutokuen Shinji-ike, was constructed in 1638 along with the surrounding Ikutokuen Garden under the order of Toshitsune Maeda, 2nd Lord of the Kaga Domain. After the death of Toshitsune, the Garden was restored by Tsunanori Maeda, 4th Lord of the Kaga. It was ranked number one among gardens created by feudal lords at their residences in Edo. The pond came to be widely known as Sanshiro Pond after the publication of the novel Sanshiro by Soseki Natsume. In the novel, the pond is depicted as the place where the protagonist first meets the woman he admires.
