title: Hokuriku Tales vol.3

Summary

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

Chapter IHistory of HokurikuKitamaebune --- the coasters that moved Nippon forwardKitamaebune coaster boats cruised along the Western Sea Route that was opened in the Edo Periodconnecting the Kyoto/Osaka area with major cities on the Japan Sea coast via the Seto Inland Sea.The wealth of merchandise and people carried by Kitamaebune left an immeasurable impact on acountry that was undergoing drastic political changes.The Michinoku-maru ? a bezaisen boat reconstructed after the Kitamae-style. In the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the Aomori-basedsail boat visited a number of ports in Hokuriku in a cultural exchange program. (photo: Nohejimachi, Aomori Prefecture)The history of Hokuriku with no mention ofKitamaebune would be incompleteMillion-dollar voyageFrom the early Edo Period through the middle of the Meiji Era, Kitamaebuneplayed a key role in commerce between Osaka and the Japan Sea regions of San’in, Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido via the Seto Inland Sea --- the so-called“Western Sea Route.”House of Baba (Iwase district, Toyama city)This sea route was developed by Lord Maeda Toshitsune, the third daimyo of4Hokuriku Tales vol.3