The former Ito Hirobumi Kanazawa Villa is a rustic, seaside villa with a thatched hip roof, built in 1898 by Ito Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan. It is said that Ito Hirobumi chose this location because of its scenic beauty, and it was visited by dignitaries such as Emperor Taisho and the Crown Prince of Korea.
During the Meiji era, the area around Kanazawa, including Tomioka, attracted attention as a seaside resort area near Tokyo, and notable figures such as Matsukata Masayoshi, the 4th and 6th Prime Minister of Japan, Inoue Kaoru, who served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Kawai Gyokudo, a master of Japanese painting, built villas there. Later, Oiso and Hayama flourished as resort areas, and Kanazawa's role came to an end. The former Kanazawa villa of Ito Hirobumi is one of the few remaining and valuable architectural structures from that era of resort areas.
In November 2006, it was designated as a Yokohama Designated Tangible Cultural Property. However, due to the building's significant deterioration, demolition and investigation work was carried out in 2007, and it was decided to restore it to its original form, including parts that no longer exist.
Construction began in June 2008 and was completed in October 2009, along with the garden.
The residence displays documents and furnishings related to Hirobumi Ito. Furthermore, the garden offers a panoramic view of the sea, and visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers, including the peony, the official flower of Kanazawa Ward. It is open to the public as a place of relaxation where citizens can experience history and culture.
<Access> 5-minute walk from Nojima Park Station on the Seaside Line
