This is the thatched early home of a four-term prime minister, who was a follower of Meiji Restoration leader Yoshida Shōin, and who later drafted the Meiji Constitution. It's interesting to see the contrast between this humble place and the impressive mansion he lived in during his years in Tokyo, which is next door, having been moved to Hagi after his death. Explanatory signs in Japanese only.
Itō Hirobumi House
Western Honshū
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
14.27 MILES
Within the Akiyoshi-dai Quasi-National Park, Akiyoshi-dō is the largest limestone cave in Japan. It extends about 10km (though public access is limited to…
20.39 MILES
Within walking distance of town, this thriving shrine, built in 1773 by the seventh lord Kamei Norisada, is one of the five major Inari shrines in Japan…
1.4 MILES
As official merchants to the daimyō, the Kikuya family's wealth and connections allowed them to build a house well above their station (they were…
15.66 MILES
North of the town centre is Kōzan Park, where the five-storey pagoda of Rurikō-ji (瑠璃光寺), a National Treasure dating from 1442, is picturesquely situated…
0.46 MILES
East of the river, pretty Tōkō-ji, built in 1691, is home to the tombs of five Mōri lords. The stone walkways on the hillside behind the Zen temple are…
15.84 MILES
This handsome building was originally a high-end restaurant named Gion Saikotei from 1878 to 1996. In 2004 it was converted into this cultural museum,…
3.14 MILES
About 6km northeast of central Hagi is this 112m dormant volcano. The top has gorgeous views of the Sea of Japan and a tiny 30m-deep crater. There is also…
2.13 MILES
Within this park, there's not much of the old Hagi-jō to see, apart from the castle's typically imposing outer walls and the surrounding carp-filled moat…
Nearby Western Honshū attractions
0.04 MILES
A small museum that documents Meiji Restoration leader Yoshida Shōin's life and teachings with samples of his letters.
0.06 MILES
This shrine, with a garden and small complex, was founded in 1890 and is dedicated to Meiji Restoration movement leader Yoshida Shōin. His former…
0.06 MILES
The former house of Meiji Restoration movement leader Yoshida Shōin.
0.08 MILES
Although 'academy' conjures images of Ivy League schools, this humble schoolhouse is anything but that. In the 1850s, Yoshida Shōin lectured students here…
0.46 MILES
East of the river, pretty Tōkō-ji, built in 1691, is home to the tombs of five Mōri lords. The stone walkways on the hillside behind the Zen temple are…
1.37 MILES
In this appealing modern building you'll find a superb collection of ceramics and woodblock prints, with fine works by Katsushika Hokusai and Utamaro…
1.4 MILES
As official merchants to the daimyō, the Kikuya family's wealth and connections allowed them to build a house well above their station (they were…
1.58 MILES
Hagi's impressive city museum features permanent displays on astrology, biology and local crafts, and hosts visiting exhibitions.