Itō has been inhabited since the Jōmon period – roughly 13,000-300 B.C. This era coincides with the Stone Age. The hunter-gatherer Jōmon people are believed to have entered Japan via the Japan Sea and the northern archipelago. They occupied northeastern Japan, and Izu was at the far western boundaries of their range. Archaeological digs here in Itō have produced artifacts from that time including primitive tools and pottery.
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Soga Monogatari (The Soga Story) is one of Kabuki theater’s three most famous plays. The play is an interpretation of events that began here in Izu during the 12th century.
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Today is Setsubun in Japan. It is one of several very old traditions imported from Chinese culture and based on the lunar calendar.
In the West, spring is associated with the vernal equinox (March 21), and rituals in European countries generally take place in early April. In Japan, the beginning of February is seen as the start of a transition from winter to spring. It is a time when the seasonal responsibilities of numerous gods start to shift, and they get restless and move around. To prevent gods of bad luck from wandering into the house, people developed a protective ritual called mamemaki (mah-may-mah-kee) or bean sowing.
The Red Cow of Ike: The tale of a shape shifting murderous dragon lord.
Ike is a small, quiet community with two Shinto shrines and a single Buddhist temple. Ryukeiin was built 500 years ago, when it replaced an even older temple that was haunted by a murderous red cow.
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