Esashi Town’s Japanese Heritage Story

Esashi's story

Japan Heritage story

Even Edo is not as busy as Esashi in May
－The town made prosperous by herring－

On the street passing through the lower terrace of town, along the Esashi coastline, there is a line of kirizuma-yane (gable roof) buildings.
The yago (house trademark) is posted on the noren (traditional shop curtain), signboard, and walls of each buildings.
Due to each warehouse gradually descending towards the seaside, it appears as if they are a staircase, living alongside the sea.
This street was formed due to the herring fishing industry, and its products were processed here from the Edo period through to the Meiji period,
coining the phrase 'Even Edo is not as busy as Esashi in May.'
The prosperity brought about by the herring industry, along with the culture passed down since the Edo period, continues to be evident throughout the area, even today.

The origins of prosperity that surpassed that of Edo

Chapter 1

Esashi's Historic Town

海岸線にそって細長く続く江差の町並み。その江差の町並みにある姥神大神宮は、江差にニシンをもたらしたとされる折居様が自身の庵に祀っていた神像を、江差の人々がみんなでおまつりするために建てたと伝わる。江差がニシン漁と交易でにぎわってくると、本州から多くの人々が移り住み、この江差の町並みが形作られていった。江差姥神町横山家は江戸時代に能登国（石川県）から移り住んだ商人が建て、旧中村家住宅は明治時代に近江国（滋賀県）の商人が建てた。それらの商家は、暖簾や壁に自分の家の屋号を掲げていた。江差の町並みを歩くと、ニシン漁と交易で栄えた江差の面影を体感することができる。

Chapter 2

Nurturing and Displaying Culture

江差は、ニシン加工品の交易をするために北前船でやってきた人々でにぎわった。彼らは様々な文化を江差へ伝えた。そして江差の人々はそれらの文化を江差の風土に合わせて花開かせ、そして育んできた。江戸時代から歌い継がれている民謡の江差追分。この唄は中山道追分宿（長野県軽井沢町）の付近で唄われていた馬子唄（追分節）が、陸路や海路を経て江差へ伝わったとされる。江差の人々は、その歌を江差の海の波や風のような曲調に変えて守り続けている。姥神大神宮の祭礼として８月に行われる姥神大神宮渡御祭は、江戸時代から江差の町中をお神輿と山車が巡行し、ニシンの豊漁を祈願してきた。ニシン漁の熱気あふれる姿は、民俗芸能の江差沖揚音頭で今日にまで伝わっている。

Chapter 3

The Island that Birthed Prosperity

According to legend, an old woman called Ori was given a bottle filled with water by the gods. She poured the water into the sea at Kamome Island causing herring to come to Esashi in great numbers. Later, she threw the bottle in too, creating Heishi Rock.The herring that Ori brought to Esashi led to immense prosperity.
As trade of herring and herring products increased, scores of people came to Esashi along the northern trade routes. They moored their ships behind Kamome Island to protect themselves from raging seas leaving deep holes in the island's cliff face.
The crews of these ships would climb steps up the island to pray for a safe voyage at Itsukushima Shrine. Along with the townsfolk, they built food stalls and enjoyed banquets while listening to Esashi Oiwake. The Remains of Merchant Ship Mooring, Itsukushima Shrine, The Remains of Stairs Up Kamome Island, and The Remains of the Banquet Site can all be seen on Kamome Island.

『Matsumae Byobu』Hakodate City Central Library