So I go into my Goodwill the other day, and I find a bike in my size, which is an odd thing in itself. A wee bit small, but not bad, as the bottom bracket is very low on this design. C.Itoh made bikes under the C.Itoh, Bridegestone, and Kabuki names in the seventies and most of these bikes were not so stellar, but this one seems to be a cut above. My work bike, as I found out when researching the other bike, is also a C.Itoh or Kabuki, but of much lesser quality.
This bike looks like it hasn’t turned a wheel in the service of its’ former owner. Some vintage old gumwall tires are still on it, showing very little wear. 50 psi tires like these were common back in the day. These lugs, odd as they are, are cast aluminum, molded in place over the tubes, if other examples are the same as this one. It is not a light bicycle, but it rides really very smoothly, and the few runs I’ve made on it give me the impression of a rock-steady, sturdy bicycle, like a gravel bike of today.
The derailleurs are Shimano Tourney, with some sort of Shimano copy of Suntour Power Shifters on the stem. I may leave it set up this way, but I think the brakes with the suicide levers and the steel rimmed wheels may have to go.(although I love the giant wing nuts on the front wheel, so magically retro.) The rear cog is pretty impressive as well. It has Sakae handlebars and cotterless crankset, and Shansin hubs, along with Dia Compe brakes.
I tried to remove the seat post to get a bit of rise on my saddle, but the saddle came off before the seat post did. It was not stuck. The saddle was concealing a quill, or expander wedge seat post. I had to loosen the bolt, knock it down to fee the wedge, and then remove the seat post. Well made, and I’m assuming this was a concession to the aluminum lugs. An interesting work-around, even if such stems are a bit inconvenient. This is not a great bike, like the Trek 600, nor a rare bike, like the Facet, but a simple and fun bike to ride in what was, in its’ time, an affordable price range.
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Cyclingeezer 
Interesting design and another brand i have never heard of .
And like you say hardly any sign of use
Yes, and a pretty fine bicycle, although the weather has not been at all conducive to riding it. I had seen, some years ago, a Bridgestone touring bike that had the same frame structure. Not surprising, since the Itoh is just another marque of Bridgestone.I am rather enamored of the stem shifters, I may leave them on this bicycle, for the moment, I’m not sure.
I got my C Itoh for Christmas 1969. My brother brought it back from Asia while serving overseas. Mine was outfitted with a back wheel disc brake which made decelerating and stopping very smooth. I still have this bike hanging out In my garage to this day.