[Yamagata Prefecture] “Mogami Safflower” certified as Japanese Heritage and Japanese Agricultural Heritage

``Safflower'' has been cultivated since ancient times as a raw material for dyeing ``red'' and ``yellow.'' In addition, oils (safflower oil/safflower oil) can be extracted from the seeds. Safflower, which is grown in Japan, is mainly used as a dye, but worldwide it is overwhelmingly grown as a raw material for safflower oil. Most of Japan's safflower oil is also imported from the United States.

The origin of safflower is unknown, but safflower pigment has been found in the clothing worn by mummies in Egypt, which dates back about 2,500 years before its origin. It is thought that it was introduced to Japan from Central Asia via China, including the Makimuku Iseki ruins (Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture) dating from around the 3rd century, and the Fujinoki Tumulus (Ikaruga Town, Nara Prefecture) dating from around the 6th century. ]) What appears to be safflower pollen and pigments have been discovered.

Safflower is often planted in relatively warm and dry areas such as Central Asia, so it is resistant to high temperatures and was originally cultivated widely in Japan from southern Japan to the Kanto region. It is said that cultivation in Yamagata Prefecture began in the Muromachi period, and around the middle of the Sengoku period, when cultivation methods to avoid winter were established, cultivation began in the Mogami River basin area of ​​Yamagata Prefecture (hereinafter referred to as the Mogami area). The Mogami region, Murayama region, and some areas of the Okitama region are Japan's representative production areas.

The strong connection between Kyoto and Osaka connected by the Mogami River

The red dye obtained from safflower is indispensable as beni, which is used in Nishijin textiles in Kyoto and in cosmetics. From the Edo period onwards, dyes made from safflower in the Mogami area were recognized as being of the highest quality, and were hailed as the brand name we now know as ``Mogami safflower.''

Why was safflower from the Mogami area of ​​Yamagata Prefecture distributed in Kyoto and Osaka?

There are several factors behind this. The first is the existence of Omi merchants. Omi merchants are merchants who are based in the Omi region on the east coast of Lake Biwa and travel around the country to collect merchandise and bring it to Kyoto and Osaka. They brought back various products from local areas and Hokkaido.

Sakata (Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture) is the port where Kitamaebune ships stop at, and it is located at the mouth of the Mogami River. The cultivation area of ​​safflower spread in the middle reaches of the Mogami River, and the safflower was transported to the Kansai region via Sakata.

The Yamagata clan, which ruled the Mogami region, invited Omi merchants visiting Sakata to Yamagata, where Yamagata Castle is located, and gave them preferential treatment by giving them land. ``Mogami Benihana'' may not have brought prosperity to the Mogami area if it were not for the Mogami River.

Yamadera, which encouraged safflower cultivation as a local industry

Another reason why Mogami Benihana reached its peak of prosperity is the presence of Yamadera. Mt. Hoju Risshakuji, also known as “Mountain Temple,” is an old temple founded by Jikaku Daishi Ennin in 860, but it is also known as Mt. It was a Tendai sect temple, same as Izan Enryakuji. Omi merchants were reluctant to set up shop in Yamagata, which was also the temple town of Risshokuji Temple.

Along with the Yamagata clan, Risshokuji Temple also encouraged the cultivation of safflower to support the lives of its many followers and surrounding people. It is said that in the late Edo period, the Mogami area accounted for about half of the national production. Moreover, the quality of the red produced from safflower was so high that the price soared, and it was said to be ``100 times more expensive than rice and 10 times more expensive than gold.''

Omi merchants, merchants in Yamagata who were involved in them, and even farmers who extracted beni from safflower made a lot of money, and the ``safflower bubble'' continued until the end of the Edo period.

“Yamadera and Safflower” has been certified as a Japanese heritage site as “safflower culture supported by Yamadera.”

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Hojuzan Risshakuji Temple (Mountain Temple)
• Address: 4,456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 023-695-2843
• Entrance fee: Adults 300 yen, Junior high school students 200 yen, Children (4 years old and over) 100 yen
• Entry time: 4/1-10/31/8:00-16:00, 11/1-11/30/8:00-15:30, 12/1-3/31/8:00-15:00
• URL: Risshokuji Temple

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“Benimochi” is a traditional technique born from the Mogami region, which produces highly pure beni.

The red dye from ``safflower'' is extracted by picking the flowers. Safflower contains a red pigment (carthamine) and a yellow pigment (safflower yellow/safromine), and only the red pigment is used in Mogami Safflower. The red pigment contained in ``safflower'' is only about 1%, so extraction takes a lot of effort and time.

How to extract the red pigment from ``safflower''

・Wash the picked flowers with water

- Lightly squeeze it, put it in an airtight bag, leave it overnight, then take it out and grind it.

- Squeeze the ground material, make it into a round mochi, dry it in the shade for 7 to 10 days, and make "bemochi".

・Put the red mochi in a cotton bag and let it brew overnight.

・The yellow pigment dissolves into the water and turns yellow, so squeeze the bag, replace it with clean water, and soak for about 5 hours. After 5 hours, shake the bag and put it back in clean water.

- Repeat this 3 times a day for about a week and the process is finished when the water becomes clear.

・Beni mochi with the yellow pigment completely removed is dried, dissolved in alkaline lye, and acidic plum vinegar is added to precipitate it, completing the beni.

Matsuo Basho was moved by the safflower in the Mogami region and was fascinated by the scenery.

From Naruko Onsen (Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture), Matsuo Basho passes through Shitomae no Seki near the border and enters Dewa Province (Yamagata Prefecture).

See the beautiful safflower fields in Shimooginoto, Tendo City

“Beni flowers with eyebrows in the air”

(When I look at the red flowers, I feel a sense of charm that reminds me of the eyebrow sweepers women use for makeup.)

I leave behind this phrase:

After that, I headed to Yamadera and the sound of cicadas echoed in the quiet and beautiful scenery.

“Silent pod, the voice of cicadas penetrating the rocks”

With this in mind, we headed to Oishida (Oishida/Oishida Town), where the port is located, in order to take a trip down the Mogami River, where we enjoyed a trip down the Mogami River during the rainy season when there was a lot of water.

“The Mogami River gathers the rain in May and rises early”      

The scene from this period is shown in the ``Oku no Hosomichi Folding Screen'' (National Important Cultural Property/Designated Name: ``Oku no Hosomichi Folding Screen'' painted by Yosa Buson (1716-1783) in 1779, which is housed in the Yamagata Museum of Art. (Yosa Buson's handwriting: 6 folding screens with a yearbook written in 1989) and two works by Yokoyama Kazan (1784-1837) depicting the making of safflower. You can see it on the "Safflower Byobu" (a tangible cultural property designated by Yamagata Prefecture).

The Yamagata Museum of Art is a private art museum that opened in 1964 and conducts research, collects, stores, and exhibits works centered on Japanese and Oriental art, local art, and French art.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Yamagata Museum of Art
• Address: 1-63 Otemachi, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 023-622-3090
• Opening hours: 10:00-17:00 (admission until 16:30)
• Closed: Mondays, December 28th - January 3rd
• Admission fee: General 800 yen, High school and university students 400 yen, Elementary and junior high school students 200 yen
• URL: Yamagata Museum of Art

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Benihana wealthy farmer's mansion, former Kashiwakura family residence, former Abe family residence,

Both the ``Former Kashiwakura Family Residence'' and ``Former Abe Family Residence and Mansion'' were mansions of wealthy farmers.

"Former Kashiwakura Family Residence" (Nakayama Town) is the main residence of the Kashiwakura family, a representative landowner in the Murayama region where safflower cultivation is popular. It is 1,412 square meters (427 tsubo). The oldest Buddhist storehouse was built in 1770 (Meiwa 7), and the others were built from the early to late Meiji period. National important cultural property.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Former Kashiwakura family residence
• Address: Oaza 8, Nakayama-cho, Higashimurayama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture　
• Phone number: 023-687-1778
• Opening days: Saturdays, Sundays, holidays
• Opening hours: 10:00-16:00 (last entry: 15:30)
• Closed: Monday to Friday, winter (December to February)
• Admission fee: General 500 yen (free for junior high school students and under)
• URL: Former Kashiwakura family residence

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The ``Former Abe Family Residence and Mansion'' (Kahoku Town) is a valuable building that was built at the end of the Edo period and retains much of its appearance as a wealthy farmer's mansion that thrived on safflower and rice cultivation. A tangible cultural property designated by Kahoku Town.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Former Abe family residence and mansion (a wealthy farmer's house/Abe Gonnai family)
• Address: 889 Yachimi, Kahoku-cho, Nishimurayama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 0237-72-3613 (Abe Gonnai Family Preservation Society)
• Opening days: Open for a limited time (please inquire)

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“Kahoku Town Benihana Museum (formerly Hori Yoneshirobei House)” is located in a building owned by a wealthy merchant.

The Kahoku Town Safflower Museum (formerly the Hori Yoshirobe Family) is a museum located in the mansion of the Hori Yone Shirobe Family, who were one of the wealthy merchants in Kahoku Town, where safflower cultivation is popular. Zashikigura, Mushagura, and Goshuingura were built from the mid to late Edo period. Inside the building, luxurious furniture and other items typical of a wealthy merchant are on display. Safflowers are planted on the large grounds, and there are walking paths, and in the newly built "Beni no Yakata" you can see kimonos dyed with safflowers and Hina dolls ordered from Kyoto. You can also experience safflower dyeing.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Kahoku Town Safflower Museum
• Address: 1143 Yachibo, Kahoku-cho, Nishimurayama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 0237-73-3500
• Opening hours: March - October / 9:00 - 17:00 November - February / 9:00 - 16:00
• Closed: 2nd Thursday of the month (the following day if it is a public holiday), December 29th to January 3rd
• Admission fee: 400 yen for adults, 150 yen for high school students, 70 yen for elementary and junior high school students
• Safflower dyeing experience: From 1,600 yen (admission fee included)
• URL: Kahoku Town Safflower Museum

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The sightseeing base in Yamagata City is the former Benihana merchant's house, ``Yamagata Marugotokan Beni no Kura (former Hasegawa family)''

``Yamagata Marugotokan Beni no Kura (Former Hasegawa Family)'' (Yamagata City) is a tourist hub located along Tokamachi Street, which is lined with old storehouses.The building is the storehouse and main building of the Hasegawa family, who were safflower merchants of the Yamagata clan. The Edo period building burned down in a huge fire in 1894 (Meiji 27), and was rebuilt in 1901 (Meiji 34). Currently, the warehouse is used as a restaurant, the main building and tatami room are used as a soba restaurant, and the other warehouses are used as a tourist information center and souvenir shop.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Yamagata Marugotokan Beni no Kura
• Address: 2-1-8 Tokamachi, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
• Phone number: 023-679-5101
• Business hours: 10:00-18:00 (subject to change depending on each store and season)
• Closed days: January 1st to 3rd (subject to change depending on each store)
• URL: Yamagata Marugotokan Beni no Kura

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"Mogami safflower" has declined since the Meiji period

"Mogami safflower" was highly prized during the Edo period and created many wealthy merchants and farmers, but its popularity rapidly declined when cheap alternative dyes were imported in the early Meiji period. Furthermore, chemical dyes took a toll, and production almost ceased.

After that, safflower cultivation was passed down gradually, but it finally began to make a comeback after World War II. In the 1960s, major cosmetics manufacturers took note of the appeal of Mogami Safflower, and contracts were signed with manufacturers, and the area under cultivation expanded once again. However, this did not last long, and when cosmetics manufacturers discontinued contract farming, production decreased again, and now production is limited to meeting the demand of some authentic dyers and plant dye enthusiasts.

Traditional techniques of safflower cultivation and dye making recognized as Japanese agricultural heritage

Even so, Yamagata Prefecture has the highest production of safflower in Japan, and the Murayama region has a wide landscape of safflower blooms. The technology of making safflower dye, which has been cultivated over 450 years, is a valuable agricultural technology in Japan, and we cannot afford to let it die out. Yamagata's Mogami Safflower, which is connected to history and tradition, has been recognized as a Japanese agricultural heritage, and efforts are underway to protect it.

Japanese Agricultural Heritage “Yamagata’s Mogami Safflower, Connected with History and Tradition”

• Phone number: .023-630-2221
• Constituent municipalities: Yamagata Prefecture, Yamagata City, Yonezawa City, Sakata City, Tendo City, Yamabe Town, Nakayama Town, Kahoku Town, Shirataka Town
• URL: Japanese agricultural mountain “Mogami Benihana”