伊東家とお茶文化の歴史

The Ito family is a distinguished lineage descending from the Kudo clan of the Southern Fujiwara. Known in the Middle Ages for expanding their influence from Izu and Sagami to Hyuga, they were famously celebrated for establishing the "Forty-Eight Castles of Ito." In the Nanzan region, the family played a pivotal role in local history through the management of temple estates. This heritage is not merely "preserved" as a relic of the past; it lives on as a vibrant, tangible "experience."

— A place where History, Art, and Architecture quietly converge.

From the artworks of Jakuchu Ito and ancient maps of the Yamashiro Province to the contemporary bath design by architect Fumihiko Sano, the estate is a sanctuary where the past and the present dissolve into one.

The Battle of Yamazaki Folding Screen

This grand folding screen depicts the historic Battle of Yamazaki, which took place on June 13, 1582, between Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi and Akechi Mitsuhide.

A significant detail can be found near the center of the artwork: the "Iori-Mokko" (a house-shaped crest), which is the official family crest of the Ito family. During this turbulent Sengoku period, Sakube Ito (the 20th generation of the family) was an active figure, and it is highly probable that he participated in this very battle.

This masterpiece serves as a rare and invaluable historical record, offering a glimpse into the Ito family’s presence and movements during one of Japan’s most decisive military conflicts.

The Connection Between Ito Jakuchu and Fugenji

In the late Edo period, the legendary painter Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800), renowned for his exquisite paintings of flowers and birds, spent his final years here in Fugenji.
During the Kansei era, an eccentric man appeared in the village—sporting a long beard, wearing a simple sash, and living a life of carefree solitude. Whenever he ran out of food, he would paint a single picture and exchange it for a "to" (a traditional unit) of rice. Because of this, the locals affectionately called him the "Tobei Painter" (The One-To-of-Rice Painter). This mysterious figure was none other than Ito Jakuchu, whose genius is now celebrated worldwide.
Born into a wealthy vegetable wholesale family in Kyoto, Jakuchu initially studied under masters but soon realized the limits of traditional styles. He pursued his own unique path, developing a brushwork—especially in his depiction of birds—that remains unparalleled in art history.
While many of the Jakuchu paintings once kept in the homes of Fugenji were lost to time, a rare work was miraculously rediscovered at the Ito Estate in 2017, returning to the light after approximately 230 years.
In this quiet mountain village, Jakuchu lived his final days with absolute freedom, devoted entirely to his art. His footsteps remain a cherished memory of this land, quietly preserved here in Fugenji.

Yamashiro Tea and the Chicago World's Fair

Kumao Ito founded the Tsuzuki District Tea Industry Association and, in 1886, established the Yamashiro Tea Company. He dedicated himself to modernizing the local industry by enhancing the quality of Uji tea and aggressively promoting its export to global markets.
These efforts culminated in a grand success at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where his concept for a "Japanese-style Tea House" received high acclaim and a prestigious award. The trees he brought back from America upon his return were planted in the estate's garden, where they continue to thrive today—a living legacy of his pioneering spirit.

Fumihiko Sano (Architect / Sukiya Carpenter)

Fumihiko Sano
Architect / Sukiya Carpenter

Born in Nara Prefecture in 1981. He began his career as an apprentice carpenter at Nakamura Sotoji Komuten, a renowned master of Sukiya-style architecture. After completing his apprenticeship, he gained further experience at architectural firms and PP Møbler before establishing his own practice in 2011. In 2016, he was appointed as a Japan Cultural Envoy by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, traveling to 16 countries to engage in cross-cultural projects.
Leveraging the skills and sensibilities honed through his unique background, Sano works across disciplines ranging from architecture to contemporary art. In recent years, he has expanded his scope to re-evaluate and "update" elements deeply rooted in Japanese history and culture, such as forestry and sake brewing.

Selected Exhibitions: MOT satellite, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2017) / Design Miami/Basel (2017) / Undefined Object, Salvatore Ferragamo (2019) / Sense Island (2019) / Mind Trail (2020) / Was Something Visible There?, Nadoya Ebisu (2021) / Jump over the Boundaries: KOGEI Next, Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (2023)
Selected Awards:EDIDA 2014 ELLE DECO Young Japanese Design Talent (2014) / Japan Cultural Envoy, Agency for Cultural Affairs (2016–17) / iF DESIGN AWARD (2020) / GOOD DESIGN AWARD (2021) / FRAME AWARD: Emerging Designer of the Year (2022), Single-Brand Store of the Year (2023) / IVS2025 IBM BLUE HUB Grand Prix, Yoichi Ochiai Award, Kyoto Shinkin Bank Award (2025) / Forbes Japan "CULTURE-PRENEURS 30" (2025)