Please note that the contents described are from the time when this walking map was created.
For information such as opening days and hours, we kindly ask you to check the respective facilities’ websites or other sources in advance.
① The Former Residence of Saneatsu Mushanokoji
Mushanokoji resided in Funato at the recommendation of Naoya Shiga from 1916 (Taisho 5) to 1918 (Taisho 7). They frequently traveled between Funato and Bentenyama, where Shiga lived, crossing the Muneyoshi Yanagi of Tenjinyama, sometimes by boat and sometimes along Hake Path, the footpath at the base of the hill. While the surrounding areas were developed as residential spaces, this place still retains some traces of the old days, including the slope forest. The current premises are not open to the public, but an explanatory board is set up at the gate.
② Abiko Kiln
Kyoto’s renowned potter Seizan Kawamura (1890-1967), a leading figure in ceramics since the early Showa period, moved from Kyoto to Abiko in the 1930s and built a kiln in the current location of Sanjusou. He began his pottery work in Abiko. Later, in 1954 (Showa 29), Seizan moved his kiln from Abiko to Kitakamakura. In 1962 (Showa 37), Fukuyuki Iwamura, who had been studying under Seizan from Abiko to Kamakura, built the current “Abiko Kiln.” Now, his son, Mamoru Iwamura, continues the tradition of pottery in Abiko.
③ Bernard Leach Monument
Leach was a British potter who loved Japan and Abiko. In 1916 (Taisho 5), he built a kiln in the residence of Muneyoshi Yanagi, a member of the “Shirakabaha,” located on Tenjinyama in Abiko, and created many masterpieces until 1919 (Taisho 8). He referred to this period as the “Abiko Period.” Besides pottery, he excelled in etching and furniture design. A novel design, the triangular chair (made by Abiko’s carpenter, Takazo Sato, who also built Naoya Shiga’s residence), is displayed in the new building of the former Murakawa Villa. He fostered friendship with the “Shirakabaha” literary figures and contributed to the birth of “Shirakabaha Curry.”
④ Morinosuke Chiwaki Monument
Chiwaki was born in Abiko in 1870 (Meiji 3) and left an enduring legacy as a pioneer of Japan’s dental medicine. The establishment of “Tokyo Dental University” is attributed to him. He also gained recognition for his continued support of Hideyo Noguchi’s research activities from both material and spiritual aspects.
⑤ Literature Square
Plaques introducing literary figures associated with Abiko, such as Naoya Shiga, Saneatsu Mushanokoji, Bernard Leach, and SojinKan Sugimura, are placed here. In the same location, there is a monument for the tanka poem (a thirty-one syllable verse) “Haru no Kumo Kata yori Yukishi Hiru Tsukata To’oki Makomo ni Gan Shizumari-nu” composed by Mokichi Saito.
The English translation of this tanka poem:
As spring clouds gather and flow across the sky around noon, a flock of geese rests quietly by a distant waterside grown with wild rice.
⑥ Sanjusou Site
This is the former residence of Muneyoshi Yanagi, a proponent of the Mingei movement and a religious philosopher, who was also an editor of the magazine “Shirakaba.” Influenced by his uncle Jigorou Kanou, who had a villa nearby, Yanagi chose this scenic location as a place for creative activities and moved here with his wife, Kaneko. The name “Sanjusou” originates from three giant Japanese chinquapin trees flourishing in the garden. They resided here from 1914 to 1921 (Taisho 3 to 10). Bernard Leach built a kiln inside the residence and practiced pottery, and later, potter Seizan Kawamura also engaged in pottery on an adjacent property. In 1936 (Showa 11), the Japan Folk Crafts Museum was established in Komaba, Tokyo. Mrs. Kaneko was a vocal musician, and her piano melodies and beautiful singing voice echoed in the lakeside. This is the birthplace of “Shirakabaha’s Curry.” Although the premises are private residences and not open to the public, an explanatory board is set up at the entrance. Adjacent Tenjinzaka is one of the most beautiful slopes in Abiko.
⑦ Jigoro Kano Villa Site
Jigoro Kano is well known as the founder of Kodokan Judo and a prominent judoka, but as an educator, he also left remarkable achievements, serving twice as the head of Tokyo Higher Normal School. Towards the end of the Meiji era, he took notice of the excellent natural environment around Lake Teganuma and established a villa on Tenjinyama in Abiko. Later, as an IOC member, he successfully brought the Olympics scheduled for 1940 (Showa 15) to Tokyo, but they were canceled due to the war. Around the time he acquired the villa, he also obtained 66,000 square meters of land in the current Hakusan area for the purpose of building a school for comprehensive education from junior to senior high school levels. However, due to financial difficulties, the construction was abandoned, instead, he built a farm called the Kano Koraku Farm. Now, the area has transformed into a peaceful residential neighborhood. Thanks to Kano’s villa, Yanagi moved to the area, inviting Shiga and eventually attracting other “Shirakabaha” literary figures, including Mushanokoji. It could be said that Kano’s presence in Abiko led to the flourishing of “Abiko culture” from the Meiji to the Showa era.
⑧ Soginkan Sugimura Monument
Sogin-kan Sugimura (real name: Kotaro Sugimura) is another significant figure who brought the scent of culture to Abiko, standing alongside Jigoro Kano. Soginkan was a prominent figure in Asahi Shinbun(a newspaper company) and an internationally acclaimed journalist, also known as the founder of Asahi Graph. He was one of the leading journalists from the Meiji to Showa eras. He played a vital role in the establishment of the prestigious Abiko Golf Club and was the leader of the haiku society “Kohan Ginsya,” contributing to the promotion of local culture. He is also known as the lyricist of the song “Morning on the Ranch (Makiba no Asa).” In 1912 (Meiji 45), he built a villa in Abiko and resided there in 1924 (Taisho 13) until his passing in 1945 (Showa 20). Part of the site of his residence became Soginkan Park, where a ceramic monument by Seizan Kawamura, a potter, is erected.
⑨ Shirakaba Literature Museum
(Shirakaba Bungakukan)
The museum established by the renowned industrialist Chikara Sano, who lived in Abiko for over 15 years, near the former residence of Naoya Shiga. The museum exhibits numerous original manuscripts, letters, and works by artists of the “Shirakaba” literary movement, including Naoya Shiga, Saneatsu Mushanokoji, Muneyoshi Yanagi, Kaneko Yanagi, and Bernard Leach. It provides a precious space for getting acquainted with the “Shirakaba” literature, attracting many visitors throughout the year. Additionally, you can encounter works by many other artists who contributed to the folk art movement, such as Shoji Hamada and Kanjiro Kawai. The museum organizes monthly lectures under the name “Interesting Shirakaba Club,” featuring discussions on topics like “Reading Naoya Shiga’s ‘Wakai.'” Furthermore, it hosts special exhibitions such as the “Bernard Leach Exhibition” and other events related to the “Shirakaba” literary figures, garnering monthly acclaim. The “Kaneko Yanagi’s Curry Research” is one such event held six times, serving as a driving force for the revival of the “Shirakaba’s curry”.
Closed days: Mondays (If Monday is a national holiday, the next regular business day will be closed) and year-end and New Year holidays
Opening hours: 9:30 to 16:30 (Last entry until 16:00).
Admission fee: 300 yen for general admission.
Japan Folk Crafts Museum: 4-3-33 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0041. TEL: +813-3467-4527. 7 minutes’ walk from Komaba-Todaimae Station on the Inogashira Line.
⑩ Naoya Shiga Residence Site
Naoya Shiga resided in Abiko in 1915 (Taisho 4) at the recommendation of Muneyoshi Yanagi and lived there until 1923 (Taisho 12). It was here that his representative works such as “Reconciliation (Wakai),” “A Dark Night’s Passing (Anya Koro),” “The Shopboy’s God (Kozo no Kamisama),” “At Kinosaki,” and others were born. Shiga had close interactions with Mushanokoji, Yanagi, and Leach, and many distinguished literary figures visited him. These few years are referred to as the golden age of the “Shirakaba” literary movement. The current location was purchased by Abiko City in 1980 (Showa 55), and the study room from that time has been faithfully restored.
11. Former Murakawa Villa
This is the former villa of Kengo Murakawa, a prominent figure in Western history and a professor at the Imperial University of Tokyo. In 1917 (Taisho 6), he built this villa. In 1921 (Taisho 10), he relocated a detached room from the Abiko Shuku Honjin (inn for feudal lords) to the site, and in 1928 (Showa 3), a Korean-style building was newly constructed. Murakawa deeply cherished this location, overlooking the beautiful Lake Teganuma, and after his passing, the villa was inherited by his son Kentaro, who was also a professor at the University of Tokyo. After Kentaro’s passing, in 2001 (Heisei 13), Abiko City purchased the building and grounds, making it accessible as a cultural heritage. It is the only existing building among the numerous villas that were once in the city. The Triangle Chair designed by Bernard Leach is exhibited in the annex. Volunteer guides are available.
Closed days: Mondays (If Monday is a national holiday, the next regular business day will be closed) and year-end and New Year holidays
Opening hours: 9:00 to 16:00 (Last entry until 15:30).
Admission is free.
The Shirakaba Group and Abiko
More than 100 years ago, there was a distinctive group at Gakushuin Higher School. Later, they created the magazine “Shirakaba” and became known as the “Shirakaba” literary movement, burning with ideals for social reform despite being elites. The central figure of the “Shirakaba” group, Muneyoshi Yanagi, married the vocalist Kaneko Nakajima in 1914 (Taisho 3). They chose Abiko, where Jigoro Kano, Yanagi’s uncle, the renowned judo practitioner and educator, owned a villa, overlooking the serene waters of Lake Teganuma amidst lush greenery. This place was named “Sanjuso” by Kano and became a gathering place for the “Shirakaba” artists. It was here that Yanagi contemplated the future folk art movement, while Kenko devoted herself to opera practice.
Influenced by Yanagi and Shiga, Saneatsu Mushanokoji, who decided to live in Abiko, conceived the idea of “A New Village.” Shiga Naoya, known as the “god of novels,” wrote his representative works such as “Reconciliation (Wakai),” “At Kinosaki,” and “A Dark Night’s Passing (Anya Koro).” The Englishman Bernard Leach immersed himself in pottery at Sanjuso. They drew inspiration and solace from the abundant nature, climate, and people of Abiko, making it a haven for creativity.
Who is Kenko Yanagi?
Kenko Yanagi was born in 1892 (Meiji 25) as the eldest daughter of a large ironworks factory in Honjo Ward, Tokyo City (present-day Sumida Ward). From her early childhood, she learned Noh chanting, and at the age of 16, she enrolled in the Tokyo Music School (currently Tokyo University of the Arts) to study vocal music. In 1910 (Meiji 43), fortune brought her into contact with Muneyoshi Yanagi, a student at Gakushuin Higher School, through the newly launched magazine “Shirakaba.” In 1914 (Taisho 3), she left the Tokyo Music School Graduate School, married Muneyoshi Yanagi, and moved to Tenjinyama, Abiko Town in September of the same year. Subsequently, many of the “Shirakaba” circle, including Naoya Shiga, Saneatsu Mushanokoji, and Bernard Leach, moved to Abiko, which came to be known as a kind of “Shirakaba Art Village.” In Abiko, Kenko warmly welcomed Yanagi’s friends, raised children, and experienced a fulfilling life as both an artist and a woman. Together with her husband, she organized solo concerts to raise funds for the establishment of the “Korean Ethnic Art Museum” and later the “Japan Folk Crafts Museum.” In 1928, she studied abroad in Germany and received high praise from music critics throughout Europe for her solo concert in Berlin. Overcoming a period of hardship in the pre-war era, she later embarked on full-fledged recital activities, earning her the title of the mother of Japanese vocal music, mentoring numerous young successors. In 1965 (Showa 40), she received the prestigious Art Academy Imperial Prize. She continued to perform on stage until the age of 84. She passed away at the age of 92 in 1984 (Showa 59).