title: Hokuriku Tales vol.3

Summary

A book of five stories about Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama with useful data vol.3

The former house of the Akimoto Family, Kitamaebune ship-owners,is open to the public as the Fushiki Kitamaebune Museum.ToyamaFushikiAt the Fushiki Kitamaebune Museum,visitors are welcomed to theobservation tower, a treat rarely foundin similar facilities in Japan.The district of Fushiki is situated in the northern part of Takaoka, Toyama atthe mouth of the Oyabe River. During the Nara Period, the statesman and poetOtomo-no-Yakamochi was stationed in Fushiki as Governor of the region.Famous as the key compiler of the Man’yoshu anthology, he also crafted many ofhis own poems here. The city was a major port city on the Japan Sea coastalready from old times, and thrived especially after the start of the Edo Periodwith the introduction of Kitamaebune. The port was modernized ahead of othersthanks to the foresight and initiative of Nozo Fujii. Now renamed Fushiki-Toyama Port, it is one of the most important international ports on the Japan Seacoast.Walk through the streets and you will see old merchant houses and Westernstylearchitecture that will enhance your imagination of the heyday of Kitamaebune.Climbing up to the observatory of the Fushiki Kitamaebune Museum, the onlyremaining watchtower in the city, you will be able to see the boats coming inand out. The Akutagawa Prize-winning writer Yoshie Hotta to whom moviedirector Hayao Miyazaki pays high respect is a descendent of the Hotta familywhich used to run a powerful shipping company in Fushiki.Two JR stations away from Fushiki on the Himi Line, Amaharashi Kaigan isthe site of the legendary samurai Yoshitsune and a beautiful beech from whichyou can see the mountain range of Tateyama on a clear day. You may want tovisit this wonderful spot for an outing with a basketful of rice balls wrapped infine strips of kelp, like the locals for whom the Kitamaebune trade has becomesuch an important part of their lives.The vast compound of ShokojiTemple is situated on a hill topin Fushiki (an Important CulturalProperty of Japan)Rice balls wrapped in fine strips ofkelp can be found in any convenientstore or supermarket in Toyama.The city of Takaoka, in particular,is promoting a campaign titled“Takaoka Kelp Rice Dishes”to spread its kelp-based localdelicacies.Zorokuen, the house of a Kitamaebuneship-ownerChapter I History of Hokuriku Kitamaebune --- the coasters that moved Nippon forwardIshikawaHashidateKasano-misaki Cape where theDuring the Meiji and Taisho eras, the Hashidate districtof Kaga city was referred to as“the wealthiest village inJapan”because the community was essentially made up ofKitamaebune ship-owners, captains and crew. The towncenter has been well preserved. The seemingly austerelook of the houses such as the fences made of old shipdeck boards betrays their gorgeous interiors.A stroll through the streets will reveal that some of thelarger houses have red roofs. Red roof tiles are older thanthe black. In old times, common people lived in houseswith thatched roofs. The residents of Hashidate werewealthy enough to afford the expensive red roof tiles.Hashidate has the Kitamaebune-no-Sato Museum andZorokuen (the house of a Kitamaebune ship-owner). Thewhite lighthouse shines against theblue sea.Hashidate, an Important Preservation District of Historic Buildings. There is acommanding view of the Japan Sea above waves of traditional red roof tiles.Hokuriku Tales vol.3 9