Itako Guide Ibaraki Prefecture
Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture 潮来市
One of the 12 Bridges (Junikyo; 十二橋) in Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Itako, in southern Ibaraki Prefecture about 85 km northeast of Tokyo, is a small town known for its canals, bridges and popular iris festival.
Itako makes for a pleasant day trip from the capital or the nearby cities of Tsukuba and Tsuchiura in Ibaraki and Chiba city in Chiba Prefecture.
Kashima Jingu is only 10 km and two stops on the Kashima Line from Itako.
Irises in full bloom during the Suigo Ayame Festival, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Boat Boarding Station, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
History
Itako is located between Lake Kasumigaura (Japan's second largest lake after Lake Biwa) to the west and Lake Kitaura to the east.
The large Tone River and its tributary the Maekawa flow through the city and are linked to a network of canals.
These interconnected waterways in what is now present-day Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures have been an important means of transport since the Edo Period.
They connected the capital, Edo, with the north of Japan up to the Tohoku region. This low-lying area of canals, lakes and rivers is known as Suigo (水郷).
One of the 12 Bridges (Junikyo; 十二橋) in Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
The bridges in Itako are illuminated at night during the Suigo Ayame Festival, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Attractions
Itako's main attraction is the Suigo Ayame Festival from late May through June when the irises that line the rivers are in full bloom.
The irises were planted from 1976 in pretty meadows adjacent to the water. There are now an estimated one million flowers in total from 500 different varieties.
This is a popular time for weddings and people from all over the Kanto area compete to book a traditional "bride-boarding boat." Brides and sometimes their parents, resplendent in traditional kimono, are paddled down the canals for the ultimate photo opportunity. Each boat is decorated with beautiful lanterns and steered by an oarsman or woman in Edo Period attire.
Larger tourist boats equipped with outboard motors also cruise the canals during the Iris Festival and at other times throughout the year.
Boat tours along the waterways - both motorized or oar-powered - ranging from 40-70 minutes and costing between 5,000-7,000 yen can be booked from Itako Yuransen Kumiai (www.itako-yuuransen.com; Tel: 0299 62 2294).
August is a traditional time for firework festivals in Japan and Itako is no exception. A spectacular pyrotechnic display takes place over the river in late August.
Other festivals in August include the Itako Gion Matsuri (Itako Gion Sairei) which takes place over three days from the first Friday of the month. 14 floats showing large effigies of historical figures are paraded through the streets accompanied by participants in period costumes and lion dances.
The Mantoe (万燈会; Ten Thousand Light Festival) is an Obon festival of lights held in mid-August in the graveyard of Choonji Temple. Small candle lights illuminate the graves and the main buildings of the temple are also lit up.
Edo Period Sanmon entrance gate to Choshoji Temple, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
The main hall of Choshoji Temple has a thatched roof, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Temples & Shrines
Close to the Maekawa River and its 12 Bridges are Choshoji Temple and Itako Shrine.
Choshoji Temple was constructed by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, in 1185. The Zen temple of the Myoshinji school is known for its large, tranquil grounds and colorful autumn leaves in season.
The temple is entered through an impressive Edo Period gate which leads to the main hall (Hondo) which is thatched. The Hondo also mostly likely dates from the Edo Period.
The grounds include a monument to the haiku poet Matsuo Basho and an impressive copper bell within a wooden bell tower, designated an important cultural property. The bell dates from 1330. It is 115 cm in height with an inner diameter of 66.3 cm.
Next door to Choshoji Temple is an Inari Shrine which contains a monument to Ujo Noguchi (1882-1945). Locally born, Noguchi led a peripatetic life as a poet and writer of children's songs and melancholic min'yo (Japanese folk music).
North of here is the large Ou Shrine which is ancient in origin, though the present buildings date from 1590. The shrine is set in a dense wood with a large variety of different trees. The shrine's main festival is celebrated on November 15 and features sacred dances by shrine maidens (miko). Adjacent to the shrine is a large burial mound (kofun) known as Ou kofun and one of the largest such burial mounds in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Also a little out of the center of Itako is Nihonmatsuji Temple. This Tendai sect temple has a long history possibly dating back to even the Heian or Kamakura periods.
The temple has connections with Enryakuji Temple, the headquarters of Tendai Buddhism on Mt. Hiei in Kyoto. Nihonmatsuji is also associated with the Mito clan, relatives of the ruling Tokugawa during the Edo Period and based in nearby Mito city.
The spacious grounds of Nihonmatsuji Temple are known for their hydrangea (ajisai) which are in full bloom during the rainy season in June.
Bell tower at Choshoji Temple, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Nihonmatsuji Temple
Local Foods & Products
Itako is known for its freshwater eels (unagi) a traditional summer pick-me-up eaten with a sweetened soy sauce on a bed of rice.
Unfortunately, due to over-fishing and high demand the precious eels (Anguilla japonica) are in decline. Itako and Lake Hamana near Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture are two of Japan's top places for freshwater eels.
Rice crackers (senbei), sake and traditional straw conical hats are also noted products of this area.
Iris fields in Itako
Manhole in Itako showing the Iris Festival
Accommodation
The main places to stay in Itako are gathered close to the railway station. They are mainly business hotels in the two to three star category with similar facilities and prices.
These include the Hotel Shin Makomo, the Itako Station Hotel, the Hotel Annex, Itako Hotel, Itako Fujiya Hotel and the Hotel Suikanso. Kappo Ryokan Choshiya is a little out of town on the shores of Lake Kasumigaura.
The Hotel Route-Inn Kashima is a two star establishment in nearby Kashima.
Nearby Narita serving Narita International Airport has a wider range of places to stay including four and five star accommodations.
Itako Station Hotel, Ibaraki Prefecture
Itako Access
Itako Station is on the JR Kashima Line between Sawara Station, Katori Station and Kashima Soccer Stadium Station.
At Katori Station and Sawara Station there are connections on the Narita Line to Narita and Narita Airport.
By highway bus Itako is 70-80 minutes from Tokyo on a JR express bus bound for Kashima Shrine from the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station. From Narita Airport, Itako is 30 minutes by highway bus. There are also highway buses from Tokyo to Sawara taking about two hours.
By hire car, Itako is an hour's drive from Tsukuba and about 70 minutes from Tokyo on the Higashi-Kanto Expressway.
By train from Tokyo involves a number of changes and takes at best around 90 minutes. From Tokyo Station take a Sobu Line train to Chiba, then change to a Narita Line train to Sawara and from there a Kashima Line train to Itako. The journey should cost 1,940 yen and would be covered by a JR Rail Pass.
Itako Tourist Information Office is located within Itako Station.
JR Itako Station & Tourist Information Office, Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture
Map
Books on Japan & Japan
Itako in Ibaraki Prefecture is a small town known for its canals, bridges and popular iris festival. The Suigo Ayame Festival in June sees thousands of iris in bloom and traditional boat tours of Itako's waterways.
