Museum • 2-chōme-11-5 Yukawa, Itō, Shizuoka 414-0002, Japan
Ito City Kinoshita Mokutaro Memorial Museum is a valuable facility that introduces the life and achievements of Kinoshita Mokutaro, a master of Japanese modern literature and an active medical doctor. Located in the center of Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture, you can trace the footsteps of this rare individual who embodied the fusion of literature and science.
Not only Kinoshita Mokutaro, but his achievements alongside his brother Ota Enzo are also introduced. Ota Enzo was hailed as the "genius engineer since the start of railroads," significantly contributing to Tokyo's reconstruction after the Great Kanto Earthquake. He was involved in the design of bridges such as Eitai Bridge and Kiyosu Bridge spanning the Sumida River, which are still designated as important cultural properties of the nation.
Behind the memorial museum, Kinoshita Mokutaro's family home, the oldest private house in Ito City, is preserved as it was. It is a valuable cultural property that communicates the architectural style of the late Edo period, where you can experience the living space of those days.
Kinoshita Mokutaro is a literary treasure who was valued for his character by luminaries such as Akiko Yosano and Takuboku Ishikawa. As a doctor, he also devoted himself to leprosy research, showing talent in various fields.
Ito City Kinoshita Mokutaro Memorial Museum is a valuable spot to learn about the great achievements of the brothers who contributed to Japan's modernization. By tracing their footsteps in literature, medicine, and engineering, you can feel the depth of Japan's intellectual heritage. Be sure to visit when you travel to Ito.