Itō was born in what is now
Sanmu city,
Chiba prefecture, as the younger son to a farming family. He attended the
Meiji Hōritsu gakko (the predecessor of
Meiji University), but left without graduating. His interest in poetry led him to visit the famous author
Masaoka Shiki, who accepted him as a student. Itō established the
literary magazine Araragi in 1903, and served as its editor until 1908. During this time, he published his poems,
literary criticism and studies on the ''
Man'yōshū.
He published a sentimental love story, ("The Wild Daisy", 1906) in the literary magazine Hototogisu.'' The story became a popular classic, and was made into movies in 1955, 1966 and in 1981. Itō came to be regarded as Masaoka Shiki's closest disciple with the posthumous publication of his
tanka anthology
Sachio Kashū in 1920. His own disciples included
Saitō Mokichi and . In addition to his literary career, Itō was also an amateur master of the
Japanese tea ceremony. He died of a
cerebral hemorrhage. ==See also==