1.Esashi’s Historic Town

{"ops":[{"insert":"A townscape extending down the lower side of a coastal terrace. It spreads out in an L-shape, with Tsunaka Cape serving as the corner. Merchant houses, which were responsible for herring trade, stand in rows with gabled roofs aligned. Each building displays the family name on its noren, signboards, and walls.\n"}]}

2.The Former Nakamura Family Merchant House

{"ops":[{"insert":"Originally established as a branch store by the Ohashi family, merchants from Omi, this property was later entrusted to the Nakamura family.\nThe main building facing the street served as both a shop and residence, while the other three structures, with their white plaster walls, were used as storehouses for trade goods.\nThe roofs are covered with gray Wakasa tiles.\n"}]}

3.The Yokoyama House

{"ops":[{"insert":"The merchant house was built by the Yokoyama family from Ishikawa pref.\nApart from the main house facing the street, there is a raw of warehouses for storing traded goods, etc.\n"}]}

4.The Former Hiyama Nishi Subprefectual Hall

{"ops":[{"insert":"This building was built as a branch office of the Hokkaido Prefectural Government in 1887.\nBuilt in an Western-style, influence of Esashi’s mercantile past can still be seen in the foundation using deep blue shakudani stones and the roof covered with black Noto tiles.\n"}]}

5.Kamome Island

{"ops":[{"insert":"Nestled off the coast of central Esashi, the island is a slender, north-south stretch of land.\nAs a natural breakwater protecting the area from the raging Sea of Japan, the island was instrumental in fostering Esashi's thriving trade.\n"}]}

6.The Legend of Ori and Its Sources

{"ops":[{"insert":"The ancient documents and paintings preserve the \"Legend of Ori\" of why herring came to Esashi.\n"}]}

7.Heishi Rock

{"ops":[{"insert":"Featured prominently in the \"Legend of Ori,\" Heishi Rock is believed to be the sacred bottle given by a god that was turned into a rock. \n"}]}

8.Ubagami Shrine

{"ops":[{"insert":"The shrine was built by Esashi’s townspeople to honor a statue of a god and to hold festivals. The statue belonged to an old woman named Ori, the \"Legend of Ori\" said to have brought herring to Esashi.\n"}]}

9.Remains of Merchant Ship Mooring

{"ops":[{"insert":"On the northeastern coast of Kamome Island lie the remains of mooring posts that once held herring trade ships.\n"}]}

10.Itsukushima Shrine

{"ops":[{"insert":"The merchants and their crews moored their herring trade ship at Kamome Island and prayed for a safe voyage at this shrine.\nIt was founded in 1615.\n"}]}

11.Itsukushima’s Stone Tori Gate

{"ops":[{"insert":"The Stone Tori Gate was donated by ship captains from Ishikawa pref.\nIt was erected in 1838.\n"}]}

12.Itsukushima’s Temizuya

{"ops":[{"insert":"The Temizuya, a water basin used to spiritually wash hands before entering a shrine, was donated by the Esashi’s Murakami family together with business partners related to the herring trading ships.\nIt was constructed in 1859.\n"}]}

13.Remains of Stairs Up Kamome Island

{"ops":[{"insert":"The stairs were made to allow people up the Kamome Island to pray at Itsukushima Shrine.\nIt was established in the 19th century to allow merchants and their crews of herring trade ships to pray for a safe voyage.\n"}]}

14.The Remains of the Banquet Site

{"ops":[{"insert":"8 holes still remain in a rock flat known as “Senjojiki\" located on Kamome Island's western expanse.\nEsashi's prosperous merchants, who flourished through the herring trade, erected food stalls here and threw banquets.\n"}]}

15.Ancient documents on Herring Fishing and Trade

{"ops":[{"insert":"The history of herring fishing and trade in Esashi are recorded in the ancient documents.\n"}]}

16.Esashi Okiageondo

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is a folk performance that passes on the passion of herring fishing as the cornerstone of Esashi's prosperity.\n"}]}

17.Esashi Sameodori

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is a folk dance performance that is said to have originated when fishermen danced to appease the spirits of sames(sharks), which were hunted as harmful fish interfering with their herring fishing.\n"}]}

18.Esashi Oiwake

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is a folk song that is brought by merchants and sailors to Esashi, which prospered through the herring trade.\n"}]}

19.Esashi Oiwakeodori

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is a dance performance that is said to have been choreographed by a kabuki actor who came to Esashi from Tokyo in the 19th century, which is danced to the \"Esashi Oiwake.\" \n"}]}

20.Esashi Sansagari

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is another folk song that is brought by merchants and sailors to Esashi, which prospered through the herring trade.\n"}]}

21.Ubagami Togyo Festival

{"ops":[{"insert":"It is a festival of Ubagami Daijingu which has been celebrated since the 18th century.\n"}]}