- History & Culture
Amatsu Shrine
Amatsu Shrine is said to have been founded during the reign of Emperor Keikō, about 2000 years ago. The shrine is dedicated to the god Amenigishi-Kuninigishi-Amatsuhiko-Hiko-Ho-no-Ninigi-no-Mikoto (or Ninigi for short!) Ninigi was the gran...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Nou Museum of History and Folklore
Old-fashioned farmhouse exhibiting local farming tools and more This old farmhouse was relocated from the Nou Valley’s Nakanoguchi district and renovated into a museum. Inside is an impressive collection of tools, goods and clothing ...
- History & Culture
The Salt Trail (Matsumoto Road)
Beautifully Preserved Section of the Ancient Matsumoto Road The Matsumoto Road, also known as the Salt Trail, was used in ancient times to transport salt and maritime products from Itoigawa to what is now Nagano Prefecture and Matsumoto Cit...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Aramachi Wisteria Festival
Wisteria flowers blooming in a historic community The community of Aramachi has long had a fascination with wisteria flowers. The nearby Tsukimizu-no-Ike Pond has been famous for its wild wisteria for centuries. What started as a private pr...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Nou Hakusan Shrine Spring Grand Festival
Centuries Old Dances in the Light of the Setting Sun The Nou Hakusan Shrine Spring Grand Festival (Nou Festival) is held every April 24th at Nou Hakusan Shrine in Itoigawa City’s Nou Region. It began in the 15th century and centers a...
- History & Culture
Mizuho Kannondo Temple
The Mizuho Kannondo Temple is a Buddhist temple that is said to have been founded in the 8th or 9th century. The temple has been rebuilt several times in its history and the current building dates to 1768. The temple actually consists of tw...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Chojagahara Archaeological Park
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 ...
- Places & Events
- History & Culture
Kijiya Woodworking Village Museum
Preserving the story of a village of woodworkers Sitting along the road leading to Shiraike Pond and Renge Hot Springs, the mountain village of Kijiya once flourished as the center of a small woodworking and lacquerware industry. The peopl...
- History & Culture
Birthplace of Princess Nunakawa
Birthplace of Itoigawa’s Local Ruler and Goddess Known locally as the ubusho or ‘birthplace,’ legend has it that these boulders located deep in Itoigawa’s picturesque Shimamichi Valley, were the birthplace of Princes...