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 built it in the scenic location of Kanazawa, 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, drew attention as a seaside villa area near Tokyo, and many people, including the 4th and 6th Prime Ministers of Japan, Matsukata Masayoshi, Inoue Kaoru, who served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Kawai Gyokudō, a master of Japanese painting, built villas there. Later, Oiso and Hayama 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, it was designated a Yokohama Tangible Cultural Property, but due to the building's 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 mansion, materials and furnishings related to Ito Hirobumi are on display. In addition, the garden offers a panoramic view of the ocean and visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers, including the Kanazawa ward flower, the peony. The mansion is open to the public as a place of relaxation and relaxation where residents can come into contact with history and culture.
Access: 5 minutes walk from Nojima Park Station on the Seaside Line
