Izumozaki

Izumosaki is a small town (population around 6,000) located on the Japan Sea coast. It is famous among haiku enthusiasts as the birth place of the 18th century poet-monk Ryōkan (良寛), and there is small memorial in his honor located in the town.

A famous poem by Ryōkan reads:

世の中は 何にたとへん 山彦の こたふる聲の 空しきがごと -

Life in this world, to what can it be compared? An echo in the mountains reverberating through an empty sky.

• Ryokan Memorial Hall, 1 Komeda, ☎ +81 258 782-370. Apr-Oct 8:30AM-5PM, Nov-Mar 9AM-4PM. Built in 1965 to commemorate the 200th birthday of Buddhist monk Ryōkan. Various documents and personal items are on permanent display. Adults ¥400. 
• Echigo Izumonsaki Tenryo-no-Sato Village, 6-57 Amase. 9AM-5PM. The main attraction is the History Hall, which contains representations of Tokugawa era life. ¥500. 
• Gogo-an (五合庵) (Located on Mount Kugami (国上山).). Ryōkan's hermitage for more than twenty years of his life and the place where many of his well known poems were composed.