- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Chojagahara Archaeological Museum
At the Center of the World’s Oldest Jadeworking Culture The Chojagahara Archaeological Site was the site of a number of massive settlements over 5,000 to 3,500 years ago. The people who lived in these settlements collected jade from t...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Tanimura Art Museum & Gyokusuien Gardens
Buddhist Artwork, Traditional Japanese Gardens & Modern Architecture The Gyokusuien Gardens opened in 1981. Designed by acclaimed landscape architect Kinsaku Nakane, the gardens use the natural background to evoke a scene of two rivers ...
- History & Culture
- Nature & Best Views
Cliffs of Oyashirazu & Oyashirazu Community Road
‘Tenka no Ken’ – ‘The Most Dangerous Crossing Under Heaven’ The Cliffs of Oyashirazu were once known as the most dangerous crossing of the Hokuriku Road. In ancient times, crossing these cliffs meant taking you...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Nou Hakusan Shrine
Maritime Shrine with 2000 Years of History While its exact date of founding is lost to history, shrine records state that Nou Hakusan Shrine was founded over 2000 years ago during the reign of Emperor Sujin, 10th emperor of Japan. The curr...
- History & Culture
- Nature & Best Views
Benten-iwa Rock
Sacred Rock and Symbol of the Nou Region This massive rock looms over the Nou Coast next to Route 8. Long worshiped by local sailors as a manifestation of the goddess of the sea, the lighthouse atop the rock continues to act as an importan...
- History & Culture
Nanasha Shrine & Gohyaku Rakan
Nestled on a quiet forested hillside next to Hisuien Gardens, Nanasha Shrine is not a particularly large shrine, but it hides a few surprising secrets. Next to the shrine’s worship hall sits Rakan-do, a small Buddhist Shrine housing t...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Salt Trail Museum
Museum dedicated to the Historic Salt Trail Located in a repurposed farm house deep in the heart of the Nechi Valley, this museum features a collection of over 2,100 items are on display here and include tools used by the ‘bokka‘...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Gyofu Souma House
Traditional Itoigawa-style Townhouse and Birthplace of Famed Poet Gyofu Souma This old-fashioned machiya-style townhouse was the home of Gyofu Souma, an Itoigawa-born scholar, poet and lyricist who left a lasting impression on modern Japane...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Itoigawa Museum of History & Folklore
Collection of artifacts and artwork from Itoigawa’s History Also known as the Gyofu Souma Memorial Hall, this museum’s impressive collection of artifacts largely come from the private collection of the late local poet and schola...
- History & Culture
Itoigawa Fighting Festival
Fighting Shrines Officially known as the Amatsu Shrine Spring Grand Festival, this festival can be seen every April 10 & 11 at Amatsu Shrine, a short walk from Itoigawa Station. Centuries old, the festival is held to pray for a bountifu...