The former Ito Hirobumi Kanazawa Villa is a rustic seaside villa with a thatched hipped roof built in 1898 by Ito Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan. It is said that Ito Hirobumi loved the scenic location of Kanazawa, where he built the villa, and it has been visited by Emperor Taisho and the Crown Prince of Korea, among others.
During the Meiji period, areas around Kanazawa, such as Tomioka, were popular as seaside villa areas near Tokyo, and many people, including the 4th and 6th Prime Minister Matsukata Masayoshi, Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs Inoue Kaoru, and Japanese painting master Kawai Gyokudō, built villas there. Later, Oiso and Hayama and other areas flourished as villa areas, and Kanazawa's role as a villa area came to an end. The former Ito Hirobumi Kanazawa Villa is one of the few precious architectural remains from this villa area at the time.
In November 2006, the building was designated a Yokohama Tangible Cultural Property, but due to its significant deterioration, it was demolished and surveyed in 2007, and a decision was made to restore it to its original appearance, including the parts that no longer exist.
Construction began in June 2008 and was completed together with the garden in October 2009.
Inside the residence, materials and furnishings related to Ito Hirobumi are on display. The garden also offers a panoramic view of the sea and seasonal flowers, including the Kanazawa ward flower, the peony, can be enjoyed, making it a place of relaxation for local residents to come into contact with history and culture.
Access: 5 minutes walk from Nojima Park Station on the Seaside Line
