Kanazawa Bunko

Kanazawa Bunko in Yokohama's Kanazawa ward is one of Japan's oldest private libraries. It was founded around 1275 by Hojo Sanetoki, a member of the powerful Hojo family who ruled as regents in the late Kamakura period. Sanetoki gathered books on Buddhism, Confucianism, law, history and Chinese literature, building a scholarly collection that has largely survived. Kanagawa Prefecture now operates a museum here showing valuable picture scrolls, sutras and documents, many designated Important Cultural Properties. Visitors usually combine it with the neighbouring Shomyo-ji temple and its lotus pond.