Bashō Memorial Museum

Built in 1959, the Bashō Memorial Museum was financed by businessman Kanbe Mannosuke (1893–1972) and dedicated to the poet’s legacy. The Brutalist structure, characterized by concrete materials and geometric shapes, houses a large collection of Matsuo Bashō’s (1644–1694) original letters and poems. His original will is also preserved here, as are maps detailing his travels around Japan. Resources on the history of renga and haikai are available, and the museum regularly displays about two dozen items. The garden features several types of flowers mentioned in Bashō’s poetry.