Kakimori Bunko is a specialized collection of Japanese haiku and haikai poetry in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture. Established in 1984, it has attracted haiku enthusiasts, scholars, and visitors interested in Japanese literary culture. Its collection includes valuable materials spanning the Edo period (1603–1868) through the modern era, offering insight into the development of one of Japan’s most distinctive poetic traditions.
In April 2022, Kakimori Bunko became part of the Itami City Museum, an integrated cultural institution bringing together the former Itami City Museum of Art, Itami City Museum of Arts and Crafts, Itami Gōchō Museum, and Itami City Museum. As one of the museum’s constituent facilities, Kakimori Bunko continues to preserve and share its important literary collection with a wider audience.
The collection owes much to Rihei Okada, a former mayor of Itami City who was both a sake brewer and a scholar of Japanese literature. Known by his haiku pen name Kakimori, Okada collected rare literary materials and donated them to establish the foundation of the archive. His passion for poetry and Japanese cultural heritage helped create a collection of lasting academic and historical importance.
Kakimori Bunko is regarded as one of Japan’s three major collections of haikai literature, alongside the Shachiku and Chikurei collections at the University of Tokyo General Library and the Wataya Bunko collection at Tenri Central Library. Its holdings cover a broad range of poets, from the celebrated Edo-period master Matsuo Bashō to Ueshima Onitsura, who was born in Itami, and Kobayashi Issa. The collection also includes works associated with modern poets such as Masaoka Shiki and Kawahigashi Hekigotō, as well as materials relating to contemporary haiku.
The archive holds approximately 7,500 haiku-related items, including hanging scrolls and narrow paper poem slips known as *tanzaku*, along with around 3,500 books. These materials are an important resource for tracing the history of haiku and understanding how the art form has evolved over the centuries.
Kakimori Bunko regularly holds haiku workshops in memory of Yauken, a historic haiku gathering place once located in Itami. The workshops encourage participants to respect the spirit of traditional haiku while creating poems that reflect contemporary sensibilities. They offer an opportunity to experience haiku not only as a historical literary form but also as a living creative practice.
Matsuo Bashō — “An Old Pond” poem slip: A work associated with Bashō’s famous poem about a frog jumping into an old pond, followed by the sound of water. It is one of the best-known poems in Japanese literature.
Ueshima Onitsura — “Nyoppori to”: A handwritten poetic work by Onitsura, an influential haiku poet born in Itami.
Yosa Buson — “Gathering of the Haikai Immortals”: A work by Buson, who was both a haiku poet and a painter, illustrating the close relationship between poetry and visual art.
Kobayashi Issa — “Celebrating Sixty”: An illustrated inscription by Issa commemorating his sixtieth birthday.
Tanomura Chikuden — “Kaki-ki”: A work by the noted painter Chikuden, known for his literati-style landscape painting.
“Gourd” painting by Tameyama Shimomura with an inscription by Kyoshi Takahama: A work combining painting and a poetic inscription by the prominent haiku master Takahama Kyoshi.
“Persimmon” painting by Sohei Takahashi: A work reflecting the interplay between poetry and painting in Japanese artistic culture.
Address: 2-5-20 Miyanomae, Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture 664-0895, Japan.
Kakimori Bunko is approximately an eight-minute walk from Hankyu Itami Station on the Hankyu Itami Line or JR Itami Station on the JR Takarazuka Line.
The surrounding area includes several historic buildings and cultural facilities, making it easy to combine a visit to Kakimori Bunko with other sightseeing. Nearby places include the Former Okada Family Residence, the Former Ishibashi Family Residence, the Brewery Museum, Itami Hall, Itami Aiphonic Hall, Inano Shrine, and the historic route known as the Former Osaka Road.
In 2010, Kakimori Bunko established the Keiko Shinobu Prize in honor of the haiku poet Keiko Katsura. The award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions in the world of haiku, reflecting the institution’s continuing role in supporting and promoting Japanese poetry.
Kakimori Bunko is an important place for discovering the history and artistic richness of haiku. For visitors interested in Japanese literature, traditional culture, or the work of celebrated poets, its collection offers a fascinating window into a poetic tradition that continues to inspire writers today.