[Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture] Japan’s first nautical chart “Rikuchu Kuni Kamaishi Port Map” and the development of Kamaishi (Part 1)

editorial staff
2024.07.01
Last updated: 2024.07.1

table of contents

1 Until the Nautical Chart of Japan was created
2 Rikuchu no Kuni Kamaishi Port Pictures
3 Kamaishi was an important place for producing iron.
4 Kamaishi City suffered severe damage during the Pacific War.
- 4.1 Information

Speaking of the creation of maps of Japan, Tadataka Ino carried out a national survey in 1987. So when was Japan's first nautical chart produced? When you think about it, you probably think of the port, the sea, and the background of the production, but I think of Dejima, an artificial island built as part of the national isolation policy during the Edo period, and the place where Perry visited on his black ship at the end of the Edo period. Uraga (present-day eastern part of Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture)" may have been the first nautical chart. It comes to mind.

But it's actually different. Japan's first nautical chart is said to be `Rikuchu no Kuni Kamaishi Port Map, ''

Until the Nautical Chart of Japan was created

Boat on the edge of the sea — “Pictures of boats on the verge of the sea” (Kyoto University Library collection): https://rmda.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/item/rb00022925

the ``Portolano nautical charts'' used in Europe were created in Japan, and domestic sailors used the `` Portolano nautical charts. '' We went to far-flung places in the southern seas such as Luzon (one of the Philippine Islands), Cambodia (Cambodia), and Siam (Thailand).

In the Edo period, Japan was prohibited from traveling overseas due to the National Isolation Order, and nautical charts were not needed. Countries that have asked Japan to end its national isolation have conducted their own surveys and filled out detailed information for the sake of safe navigation. The shogunate was concerned about national defense that Japan's coastline was being revealed by foreigners, and decided to conduct surveying themselves and produce the necessary nautical charts.

At the same time, westbound and eastbound routes starting from Sakata Port in Yamagata developed, and many simple and practical route guide maps for coastal navigation, the `` Kaihin Shukozu '' were created. It was used for Kitamaebune, etc.

Complete map of the Great Japan Coastal Area — [Tadataka Ino/Surveying and Production] [Complete Map of Great Japan Coastal Area] Figure 53 Mutsu (Iwaki, Abukuma River, Shiroishi, Matsukawa)

Twenty-one years after Tadataka Ino, mentioned at the beginning, conducted a nationwide survey, he submitted the complete map of Japan's coastline to the shogunate, ``Inozu'', which was published at the end of the Edo period because the coastline of Japan had been accurately surveyed. It is said that the visiting British Navy used this to create modern nautical charts of the Japanese coast.

Rikuchu no Kuni Kamaishi Port Pictures

Picture of Kamaishi Port, Rikuchu Province

In the first place, this ` `Rikuchu Kuni Kamaishi Port no Kuni'' refers to the ``Imperial Navy Suiroryo'' (*The Suiroryo is responsible for matters related to navigation security, such as surveying waterways, producing nautical charts, compiling hydrographic records, observing weather and sea conditions, etc.). the Japanese Navy (Navy Organization) and published in 1896. The unit of water depth used at the time was hiro (approximately 1.8m), and considering the historical background, it is a reminder of the hardships of our predecessors.

So why was Kamaishi Port included in Japan's first nautical chart?

Kamaishi was an important place for producing iron.

Kamaishi City in Iwate Prefecture is the country's largest producer of iron ore, which is essential for iron production, and is also where the Meiji government built a government-run ironworks in 1899.

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture] World Heritage Site "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, Coal Industry"...

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/31504

Hashino Iron Mine/Hashino Blast Furnace Ruins (Hashino Blast Furnace Ruins) are blast furnace ruins located in Hashino-cho, Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, and were designated as a national historic site in 1957, and are listed as World Heritage Sites, Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution, Iron and Steel Manufacturing. , shipbuilding, and coal industry. The registered name is ``Hashino Iron Mine.'' World Heritage Site "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, Coal Industry" Constituent Assets The World Heritage Site "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding, Coal Industry" consists of 23 properties spanning 8 prefectures and 11 cities. It will be. Although it has been simplified, the following is a list of constituent assets across the country divided into areas. Area 1 - Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Area Hagi Reflection...

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Kamaishi Port was selected as the target port for the first nautical chart because it was an important port at the time as an intermediate supply point between Tokyo and Hakodate, and because it was just before the construction of a government-run steelworks for the production of domestic nautical charts. It is considered to be something that

The port town that flourished with eastern shipping transformed into a steel-making town, and what was once a small town with fewer than 5,000 residents grew to 14,925 in 1901, and 92,123 at its peak in 1963, making Morioka one of the largest towns in Iwate Prefecture. It has grown to become the second most populous city after Japan.

Kamaishi City suffered severe damage during the Pacific War.

In 1945, as the Pacific War entered a critical phase, major cities across the country were bombarded by B-29 bombs, and even local cities were being attacked. Kamaishi was an industrial city with self-sufficient steel mills, and its citizens worked hard to increase production during the war, knowing that they would someday be attacked by air raids.

Under these circumstances, on July 14 of the same year, the United States deployed three fast battleships and two battleships to Kamaishi City in order to "destroy Japan's important industries, disrupt transportation, and weaken the Japanese people's will to fight." Heavy cruisers and nine destroyers fired naval gunfire, and on August 9 of the same year, three fast battleships, four heavy cruisers, and ten destroyers fired a second round of naval gunfire. I did it.

These two rounds of naval gunfire and air strikes by carrier-based planes reduced Kamaishi to scorched earth, causing numerous casualties and destroying the functionality of the steelworks.　

Although the number of victims is still under investigation in Kamaishi City, the names of 753 victims were listed in the ``Kamaishi Naval Gun War Disaster Journal'' published in 1976, and the names of 753 victims are now included in the list of victims due to subsequent investigation. There are 782 people listed.

The history and extensive damage caused during the Pacific War can be seen at the Kamaishi City Local Museum, located right next to Kamaishi Station.

Information

Name: Kamaishi City Local Museum
Address: 15-2 Suzuko-cho, Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture 026-0031
Business hours: 9:30~16:30 *Last entry is 16:00
Admission fee: 200 yen for adults / 100 yen for groups (20 or more people) *Free for infants, elementary and junior high school students, high school students, and those with a disability certificate.
Closed: Every Tuesday *New Year holidays (December 28th to January 4th)
URL: https://www.city.kamaishi.iwate.jp/kyoudo/