Itto-en Museum Koso-in

Highlight

A woodblock print by Shiko Munakata that hangs alongside the works of many other who enjoyed the cordiality of Itto-en

The spirit of Itto-en and the mingling of artists

Itto-en was founded in 1913, as a commune aiming at conflict-free life, and then was moved to Yamashina in 1928. Its founder Tanko Nishida, who was born in Nagahama, Shiga prefecture, greatly admired Tolstoy’s My Religion, which he read a year before the Japanese-Russo War. This book instilled such fervor in him that he abandoned everything he had and devoted himself to community service, the first of its kind in Japan.
In the museum, visitors will find the writings and personal effects of Nishida along with works of art and correspondences by his famed friends - such as: the woodblock prints of Shiko Munakata, the ceramics of Kanjiro Kawai, calligraphy by the likes of Kokuta Suda and Ryosen Tsunashima, paintings in the Nanga style by Gyokusei Jikihara, and correspondences by Hosai Ozaki and Hyakuzo Kurata.
With the Lake Biwa Canal running in front of the museum, many visitors combine a stroll through spring blooms or autumn foliage on the beautiful canal path with a visit to the museum Koso-in.