This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Gojome Town, located north of Akita City, is a town with a population of approximately 7,700 (Akita Prefecture Population and Households (Monthly Report) as of February 2024) known for its morning market, which began around 500 years ago.
Gojome was the territory of the Kubota clan during the Edo period
During the Edo period, this area was the territory of the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain), and it is said that originally this area was written as "Gojume" and called "Gojume/Isome", but someone during the Edo period wrote it in cooler kanji as "Gojome".
It was not until 1896 (Meiji 29) that the area officially began to be called Gojome. Then, in 1955 (Showa 30), the five surrounding villages of Babame, Futsunai, Uchikawa, and Okawa merged with the Gojome settlement (formerly Gojome town) at its center , to form the present-day Gojome town.
Before the Edo period, the lords of the domain changed from the Fujiwara clan, to the Tachibana clan, and to the Ando clan (Akita clan)
People have lived in the Gojome area since the Jomon period ( Nakayama ruins ), and ruins from the Nara and Heian periods have also been excavated (Nakayachi ruins, Iwanoyama burial mounds, designated as a historic site by Akita Prefecture, etc.)
Under the regional division of the country established by the Yamato court during the Ritsuryo period after the Nara period, the Gojome area was incorporated into Akita County, and during the Heian period it was under the control of the Oshu Fujiwara clan of Hiraizumi (Iwate Prefecture). When the Fujiwara clan was destroyed by Minamoto no Yoritomo and the Kamakura period began, the Tachibana clan, under Yoritomo's orders, came to Akita County as Jito (regional administrator)
The Tachibana clan ruled Gojome for a while, but in the Muromachi period, they left Akita County. Around that time, the Ando clan, who had moved south from Tsugaru and built Minato Castle at Tsuchizaki Port (Tsuchizaka Port, Akita City) in Dewa Province (Akita Prefecture), began to gain power
The Ando clan, originally from Mutsu Province, ruled Akita County
The Ando clan (Ando clan) a powerful clan that is said to have originated when the Abe clan, who were based in and were destroyed by the Yamato court (Kyoto)in the Battle of Zenkunen (1051-1062) Fujisaki (Fujisaki Town, Aomori Prefecture), and founded the Ando clan (later the Ando clan).
They later gained strength and expanded their sphere of influence, Tosaminato (Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture) and prospering greatly.
The Ando clan split into two factions and expanded their territory. The faction that expanded southward is also known as the "Minato Ando clan"
On the other hand, the group that invaded the east did not have an easy time, as they were defeated by the Nanbu clan, who had power in the eastern part of Mutsu Province (including Iwate Prefecture), and were forced to flee to Ezo (Hokkaido)
In the mid-1400s, he returned to Mutsu Province and built a castle in Hiyama (Hiyama, Noshiro City) (Hiyama Castle/Hiyama Castle ruins are a nationally designated historic site) and regained his power
the "Hiyama Ando clan ," with the support of the Minato Ando clan, gradually advanced southward, and it is said that in the latter half of the Sengoku period they even extended their sphere of influence to the Gojome area.
At the end of the Sengoku period, he was caught up in the internal conflict of the Ando clan, the "Minato Battle."
The Hiyama Ando clan and the Minato Ando clan were not on good terms and frequently had internal conflicts, which escalated into the Minato War
The Hiyama Ando clan prevailed in this dispute, and the two families were eventually merged and the matter was resolved amicably
The merged Ando clan the Akita clan and became the rulers of Akita County, including Gojome. The Akita clan (formerly the Ando clan) ruled Akita County, but in 1602 during the Edo period, they moved to Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture) as daimyo with a fief of 50,000 koku, replacing the Satake clan, who were ordered to move there.
He spent about 40 years in Hitachi Province, and in 1645 was transferred to the Miharu Domain (Miharu Town, Fukushima Prefecture) in Iwaki (Fukushima Prefecture) with a fief of 55,000 koku, and served as the lord of Miharu Domain until the end of the Edo period
Gojome Town is home to the remains of castles built by many powerful clans and vassals of the Ando clan
In the former towns and villages that make up Gojome Town, small powerful clans existed and built castles (mansions) even before the Ando clan took control. Even after the Ando clan took over, their vassals continued to build castles, and there are a total of 10 castles (mansions) recorded, including Babame Castle, Yamauchi Castle, Saruta Castle, Tomita Castle, Okawa Castle, Ura Castle, Okamoto Castle, Sunazawa Castle, Oshikiri Castle, and Onio Castle . Although their locations have been identified, very little is known about their details.
Babame Castle
Babame Castle is located in the upper reaches of the Babame River, which flows through the center of Gojome Town, and a morning market has been held in the castle town for about 500 years. After the Minato Battle, the Akita clan built Sunazawa Castle in Gojome, and it is said that at that time they moved the Babame Morning Market to Sunazawa Castle (the current Gojome Morning Market).
Babame Castle was abandoned after the war because the lord of the castle belonged to the Minato Ando clan and resisted the Hiyama Ando clan during the Minato War
Sunazawa Castle
Sunasawa Castle was built in Gojome-cho (formerly Gojome-cho) by the Akita clan towards the end of the Sengoku period, replacing Babame Castle and Ura Castle, and its first lord was Fujiwara no Naiki Hidemori, a vassal of the Akita clan. The mountain castle stood on top of a small hill (Sunazawayama, approximately 95m above sea level) overlooking the center of present-day Gojome-cho, and the Gojome Town Forest Museum, has now been built on the site of the castle.
Sunazawa Castle was abandoned when the Akita clan moved to Hitachi Province
Train: Take the bus bound for Gojome Bus Terminal from Hachirogata Station on the Ou Main Line for about 15 minutes, then get off at the last stop and walk for about 2 minutes
By car: Approximately 15 minutes from Gojome Hachirogata IC on the Akita Expressway
Google Map
Gojome Morning Market, a bustling local market with over 500 years of history
Gojome Morning Market is said to have begun in the late 1400s in the Babame area of Gojome Town, around the time of Babame Castle. When Babame Castle was abandoned, it was moved to the area around Sunazawa Castle, which was built in Gojome (Gojome) at the same time, and has continued to this day.
Unlike Takayama (Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture) and Katsuura (Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture), which have a strong tourist element, this market is an indispensable part of daily life for local people, and takes the form of a so-called 12-year-old market, held on the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 0th of each month.
Gojome Morning Market <Information>
Facility name: Gojome Morning Market
Location: Shimotamachi Street, Gojome Town, Minamiakita District, Akita Prefecture (commonly known as Morning Market Street)
Phone number: 018-852-5222 (Gojome Town Hall, Commerce and Industry Promotion Division, Commerce and Industry Promotion Section)
Dates: Held on the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 0th of each month, as well as three special markets (May 4th "Festival Market", August 13th "Bon Market", December 31st "New Year's Market")
Event time: 7:00-12:00
Events: Wild Vegetable Festival (mid-May), City Shrine Festival (mid-June), Mizutataki Festival (mid-July), Mushroom Festival (mid-October), Atakanabe Festival (mid-February)
Train: Take the bus bound for Gojome Bus Terminal from Hachirogata Station on the Ou Main Line for about 15 minutes, then get off at the last stop and walk for about 2 minutes
By car: Approximately 5 minutes from Gojome Hachirogata IC on the Akita Expressway
Google Map
Five castles from the Edo period recorded in Masumi Sugae's book
During the Edo period, the Gojome area came under the control of the Satake clan of the Kubota domain, a rule that continued until the Meiji Restoration
There were not many major incidents during the Edo period, and people lived peacefully. Sugae Masumi (1754-1829),, wrote "Sugae Masumi Yuranki" (89 volumes in total, designated as a national important cultural property), and in his book "Hina no Asobi (Isha Nuansobi)," he includes illustrations of Gojome's scenery, folk performing arts, and treasures, along with explanations.
The Noda Zelkova is Hachiman Shrine in the Moriyama district of Gojome Town . Because the two humps on the trunk resemble human breasts, it is affectionately known as the "God of Breast Milk."
The tree is said to be about 1,000 years old, and is currently a large tree with a height of about 21m and a maximum trunk circumference of 6.5m. It has been watching over people in its original form for over 220 years since Masumi "Tsuki" (an ancient name for zelkova) . Noda's Zelkova is a natural monument of Gojome Town.
Phone number: 018-852-4411 (Gojome Town Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division)
Free to stroll around the temple grounds
access:
Train: From Hachirogata Station on the Ou Main Line, take the bus bound for Gojome Bus Terminal for approximately 15 minutes, then get off at Isonome bus stop and walk for approximately 25 minutes
By car: Approximately 3 minutes from Gojome Hachirogata IC on the Akita Expressway
Google Map
"Banraku" and "Banraku masks," traditional Japanese tradtions that Masumi also drew
Bangaku is a type of Kagura dance that is passed down in various parts of Akita and Yamagata prefectures.
Kagura dance is said to have originated from a dance performed by Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto to summon Amaterasu-Omikami, who had hidden herself in the Ama-no-Iwato cave, and it has spread to various parts of the country in various forms
Bangaku performed by mountain ascetics and has been passed down as a folk performing art.
Originally, it was performed by mountain ascetics wearing masks and going around people's houses, but at some point it began to be performed by villagers
There are four types of banraku dances handed down in Gojome: Yamauchi, Nakamura, Nishino, and Koichi. When Masumi stopped by Gojome in the early 1800s, he saw the banraku dances of the Yamauchi village and drew illustrations of the dances and banraku masks
Phone number: 018-852-4411 (Gojome Town Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Division, Lifelong Learning Promotion Section)
Date: The day before the third Sunday in May, from 7:00 PM
access:
Train: From Hachirogata Station on the Ou Main Line, take the bus bound for Gojome Bus Terminal for approximately 15 minutes, then get off at Isonome bus stop and walk for approximately 8 minutes
By car: Approximately 5 minutes from Gojome Hachirogata IC on the Akita Expressway
Google Map
The stone monuments painted by Sugae Masumi have existed since the Kamakura period
Itabi is a type of memorial tower made from stone slabs, and was mainly made between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods. Many itabi remain throughout the country, but there are also several around Gojome, and they are depicted in Masumi's drawings.
My love of travel grew, and I used to write a travel magazine, and now I'm a travel writer for the web. During my research, I visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, mainly in the Tohoku region, but my fun part is soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture such as old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts.
![4550228_m](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/4550228_m-150x150.jpg.webp "Hot springs gush out in a place where there are no volcanoes! "Yuzawa Geopark" where you can see the mystery of the earth up close [Akita Prefecture]")
![matagi](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/matagi-150x150.jpg.webp "The popular game "Matagi" started in Kitaakita City! [Akita Prefecture]")
