Onomichi Ihatov introduction site
What is Ihatov?
The utopia pursued by artist Shunji Sonoyama.
A space that connects art, towns, and people, and creates with a unique sensibility.
Activities began in Onomichi, and second and third Ihatov initiatives are underway in Okinawa, Bali, and elsewhere.
What is Onomichi Ihatov?
Ihatov started in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture in 1997.
Onomichi is a scenic town dotted with old temples, from which you can see the Onomichi Strait and the Shimanami Kaido. Once a port town where Kitamae ships called at, and a thriving commercial city, the town has often appeared in the media as the setting for movies, TV dramas, and commercials. The Yamate district in particular was a beautiful area lined with elegant Japanese houses belonging to merchants who made their fortunes through commerce, but the steep slopes made vacant and abandoned houses an issue. In 1997, Shunji Sonoyama renovated an old house that was practically abandoned, and opened it as Fukuro no Yakata. Since then, the old houses and abandoned buildings in the neighborhood have been renovated into chateaux, forming Ihatov Onomichi.
At hype, Mr. Sonoyama will be organizing the "Cat Festival" at Onomichi Ihatov.
We are helping to find foster homes for the "Fukuishi Cats," which are the face of Onomichi Ihatov.