Itami - Where History and Culture Come Alive

INTRODUCTION TO ITAMI CITY

 Located in the southeast of Hyogo Prefecture, Itami City has long prospered as a transportation hub linking Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe.
Today, the city enjoys excellent access to destinations across Japan through Osaka International Airport.  Yet just beyond its modern urban convenience lies a rich history that has been carefully preserved for centuries.  What makes Itami truly unique is the remarkable balance between a vibrant modern city and the atmosphere of its historical past. 
Once a castle town during the Sengoku period and later one of Japan's leading centres of sake brewing in the Edo period, Itami's history can still be felt throughout the city as you walk its streets. 
Renovated sake breweries now serve as cultural facilities, while Koya Pond offers abundant natural beauty. The townscape changes with the seasons, revealing new charms throughout the year.  Beneath the city's warm and welcoming atmosphere lives a deep pride in traditions that have been passed down through generations.  
Every walk through Itami brings a new discovery.
 

Murashige- The Warlord Who Shaped Itami

HISTORICAL FIGURES OF ITAMI

Araki Murashige was one of the most remarkable warlords of Japan's Sengoku period.  Once a trusted commander of Oda Nobunaga, who was on the verge of unifying Japan, Murashige later turned against his powerful lord.  
From his stronghold, Arioka Castle, he led one of the most dramatic sieges of the age, resisting Nobunaga's army for nearly a year.  What motivated Murashige's rebellion remains one of the enduring mysteries of Japanese history. 
Murashige was more than a warrior.  He was also a devoted practitioner of the Japanese tea ceremony, admired for his cultural refinement and associated with the celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyu. 
As lord of Arioka Castle, he was also a pioneer of creating towns.  He developed the castle town by improving its streets, supporting commerce, and creating an urban community that became the foundation of present-day Itami.  
His military achievements, cultural spirit, and vision for the city continue to shape Itami today.
 

Arioka Castle-A Revolutionary Fortress of the Sengoku Period

ARIOKA CASTLE DEFENSE SYSTEM

Extensively rebuilt by Araki Murashige, Arioka Castle marked a major milestone in the history of Japanese castle architecture.  Its most distinctive feature was its "sogamae "(total enclosure), a large-scale defensive system that protected not only the castle itself, but also the surrounding samurai residences and merchants' quarter with moats and earthen ramparts.  This integrated castle-town fortress, the first of its kind in Japan, gave Arioka Castle extraordinary defensive strength, enabling it to withstand a prolonged siege by Oda Nobunaga's forces.
The film The Samurai and the Prisoner is set in Arioka Castle, where the renowned strategist Kuroda Kanbei is said to have been imprisoned after entering the castle to persuade Araki Murashige to abandon his rebellion. 
Today, the castle site is designated as a National Historic Site.  Remarkably, its impressive stone walls and moat remains can still be seen immediately beside JR Itami Station.  Stepping out of the station, visitors encounter traces of the Sengoku period that bring them face to face with one of the most dramatic chapters in Japanese history.
 

From Castle Town to Sake Brewing Town

BIRTHPLACE OF REFINED SAKE

The town layout created by Araki Murashige's innovative "sogamae" (total enclosure) at Arioka Castle survived even after the castle fell.  Rather than being dismantled, it became the urban foundation of "Itami Gocho," a thriving merchant town whose legacy continues today.  
The defensive infrastructure originally built for war evolved into the framework for commerce and industry in times of peace. This stable urban environment supported the development of a remarkable brewing industry.  During the Edo period, Itami became the birthplace of "Itami Morohaku," a clear, refined, high-quality sake that transformed the history of Japanese sake brewing.
The traditions established here continued to flourish, and Itami's celebrated sake became enormously popular in Edo (present-day Tokyo), bringing nationwide recognition to the city.
The streets first laid out by Murashige helped create prosperity, while generations of skilled brewers perfected their craft. Today, the white-walled sake breweries and historic streetscape of Itami Gocho stand as a lasting expression of the city's rich history and cultural heritage
 

A Legacy Beyond Sake-Tradition, Culture and Civic Pride
 

CULTURAL EVOLUTION OF ITAMI

The prosperity brought by sake brewing enabled Itami to develop a rich cultural life.  One expression of this legacy was the growth of "martial arts."
During the Edo period, sake brewer Konishi Shinemon established a swordsmanship school to help protect the town people.  This martial tradition has continued to evolve, and today "Shubukan," one of Japan's leading martial arts schools, carries on Itami's martial heritage in Japan and abroad, with a particular focus on naginata.  The discipline and dedication cultivated through martial arts reflect the same spirit found in the city's brewing tradition.
Itami also became a centre of literary culture.  The haiku poet Uejima Onitsura established a distinctive poetic style and was celebrated alongside Matsuo Basho as "Basho in the East, Onitsura in the West." Today, the Kakimori Bunko preserves one of Japan's finest collections of haikai literature.
The richness of Itami's cultural heritage has received national recognition. The story of sake brewing in Itami has been designated a Japan Heritage, while GI* Itami protects the name of locally produced sake under Japan's geographical indication system.  Today, Itami's heritage extends far beyond the city itself, preserving traditions that continue to be celebrated as part of Japan's cultural legacy.
* A Geographical Indication (GI) is a legal designation that protects the name of a product whose quality, reputation, or other characteristics are closely linked to its place of origin and the natural, cultural, and historical environment in which it is produced.
 

The Murashige Project- Bringing History into the Future 

CONNECTING HISTORY TO THE FUTURE

"Kokurojo（黒牢城）," the award-winning historical mystery novel set during the Siege of Arioka Castle, has inspired a major new initiative in Itami.  
To coincide with the film adaptation The Samurai and the Prisoner , "The Murashige Project" is introducing the story of Araki Murashige and Arioka Castle to audiences in Japan and around the world.  
    
Visitors can explore the places where the novel and film are set, experiencing the history of Arioka Castle firsthand and discovering the people and events behind the story. Through this project, Itami is creating new ways to connect people with its rich historical and cultural heritage.
More than 400 years ago, Araki Murashige helped shape the future of this city. The pioneering spirit that he embodied, and that later enabled Itami's celebrated sake culture to flourish, continues to inspire the city today.
 

If the film The Samurai and the Prisoner has sparked your interest in the story of Itami, visit the city and discover its history for yourself.