Ito: Culture, Literature and Landscape

In Ito, literary and architectural history meet riverside scenery and viewpoints. For planning your trip, the cultural sites offer different points of focus: Tokaikan explores, among other things, the history of Ito’s hot springs, while the Kinoshita Mokutaro Memorial Museum presents the life, work and personal world of a single literary figure. The Matsukawa River and two viewpoints offer other perspectives on the city.

Culture, Literature and Architectural History

Tokaikan features exhibitions on the history of the building, the history of Ito’s hot springs, and writers and literary figures associated with the hot springs. Architectural history, local history and literature thus come together at one exhibition venue. If you are particularly interested in literary connections, the Kinoshita Mokutaro Memorial Museum is also worth a visit: it focuses on Mokutaro and his personal world.

The collection includes books, paintings, personal mementos and photographs of Kinoshita Mokutaro. It also includes letters and works by literary figures with whom he was in contact. Personal belongings of the Ota family from Mokutaro’s childhood home, as well as objects from everyday life at the time, are also on display. The museum also shows an approximately 12-minute original video about his life. The exhibits offer several ways to explore the subject, from Mokutaro’s own work and personal mementos to his relationships with other literary figures.

The architecture is also part of the memorial museum’s history. The building is registered as a tangible cultural property at the national level and preserves the architecture of a merchant’s house. For culturally minded travelers, a visit here combines learning about Mokutaro’s life with a look at the house’s architectural style.

The Matsukawa River, Walking Paths and Views

The Matsukawa River flows through central Ito. A promenade along its banks is used for walks, and cherry trees bloom there in spring. The riverside thus adds a seasonal touch to the cityscape. The experience varies depending on when you visit: cherry blossoms are specifically a feature of spring, while the viewpoints offer their own perspectives on the city and coast.

Monomizuka Park is on a low hill next to Ito City Hall. From there, the view extends from the Ito urban area to Hatsushima Island. Arai Shrine is also on a hill and offers views over Ito Port and Sagami Bay. The two places offer different panoramas: from Monomizuka Park, the view toward the island is the highlight, while at Arai Shrine, it is the view over the port and bay.

Ito Onsen Takeakari and Seasonal Impressions

At Ito Onsen Takeakari, around 500 bamboo lanterns are permanently installed along the Matsukawa promenade, at Otonashi Shrine and in the forecourt of JR Ito Station. These locations spread the installation across the riverside, shrine and station forecourt. As part of Ito Onsen Takeakari, visitors can also make an original heart-shaped ema (a wooden votive plaque) on the grounds of Otonashi Shrine and hang it there. The approximate number of lanterns and the ema activity offer specific points of reference for travelers interested in the event. As details of the installation and activity may change, check the latest information before your visit.

When choosing a theme for your trip, you can compare a range of interests: literature and merchant-house architecture, a walk along the Matsukawa River, views of Hatsushima or of Ito Port and Sagami Bay, and the bamboo lanterns and ema at Otonashi Shrine. The seasonal cherry blossoms are a spring feature; the bamboo lanterns, by contrast, are permanently installed. These differences can help you decide which of the cultural and landscape themes described best match your travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Nishiizu, Susono, Iwata, Higashiizu, Kamo District, Izunokuni, Shizuoka, Minamiizu.

For the broader travel overview: Shizuoka Prefecture.