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during the Edo period, this bookSugae Masumi(1754-1829)Five Winds of Oga, contrasting the Edo period with the present daythe Oga Peninsula as it was walked by Sugae Masumi.
which begins on July 18, 1810.The Cold Wind of Oga,In "The Cold Wind of Oga," the author describes in detail his feelings and the devastation around him when he encountered a historically significant earthquake.
This article will be written with reference to manuscripts from the Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Archives of Japan, the National Diet Library, and a modern translation published in 2000. Unless otherwise noted, dates from the Edo period are those recorded by Masumi (using the old calendar)
Masumi Sugae @Akita Prefectural Museum
reference
Akita Prefectural Museum Sugae Masumi Library (Manuscript)
Published by Heibonsha, Sugae Masumi Travelogue 5, edited and translated by Uchida Takeshi and Miyamoto Tsuneichi, published on August 9, 2000
Walking from west to east across the southern part of the Oga Peninsula
Following on from "Oga's Island Winds," which ended on July 17, 1810, "Oga's Cold Winds" will begin on July 18th in front of the temple gate at the southwestern tip of the Oga Peninsula (in front of the main temple gate at Funakawa Port, Oga City)
"Camellia White Rock" which Masumi described as shaped like a maitake mushroom
"Camellia White Rock," which was called "Camellia White Rock" during the Edo period, was depicted by Masumi. From a manuscript of "Oga no Akikaze" (Autumn Winds of Oga) held at the National Archives of Japan
from MonzenWakimotoOn the wayTsubakiyou will pass in front of a white,approximately 30-meter-tall rock that resembles rising clouds,, Oga City).
the guideTsubaki no Shirasaki,explained to him asOga no Akikaze" (Autumn Wind of Oga), complete with an illustration. It seems it was raining at the time, as he wrote that "its color was bluish from being wet with rain and tide, and it looked strange," but this time the weather was fine and the rock was pure white, just as its name suggests.
It is nowTsubaki no Shiraiwa" (Camellia White RockcalledMaitake Rock, it is also known as
Camellia White Rock is a volcanic lapilli tuff formed from hardened volcanic lapilli that erupted during volcanic activity approximately 21 million years ago, and the rounded shape that resembles a spoon, which Masumi called a maitake mushroom, was created naturally by the weathering of the rock
In addition to white, green rocks (green tuff) can also be seen scattered around the area. This is also a type of volcanic lapilli tuff, like the Camellia White Rock, and the substances contained in it have turned green due to the influence of water heated by magma underground
On the same day, Masumi arrived in Wakimoto andwherewent to Oibanasaki,Sugawaradedicated toShrine,paid her respects at the Sugawara
, located along the northern coast,Ayukawastay at a friend's house in
On August 17th, the eerie phenomenon continued. Earthquakes. On the 18th, there was another earthquake strong enough to cause the temple tower to collapse
On August 25th (Masumi wrote September 25th, but it was a mistake and should have been August 25th), we headed back to Wakimoto to visit Sugawara Shrine, but the weather was bad so we spent the day in a village called Shimada (Oga Nakatakigawa Shimada, Oga City) on the way
On August 27th, the weather cleared up and just as they were about to leave, a major earthquake struck. Masumi wrote the following about what happened at the time:
"The eaves and roofs tilted, and people fled in panic, crying and yelling as they grabbed the hands of the sick and elderly, some carrying babies upside down, and others ran around. "The beams fell with a terrible crash. Anyone standing would be knocked over, and the mountains of the eaves crumbled. Fearing for their lives, people clung to trees and fled to bamboo groves."
Oga no Kanawazaki (Wakimoto no Ura), where Sugawara Shrine is located, is said to have been the site of the greatest damage caused by the Oga earthquake. Masumi had been painting this before the earthquake. From a manuscript of "Oga no Kanawaze" (Cold Winds of Oga) in the Akita Prefectural Museum
Aftershocks continued for days after the main earthquake, leaving villages on the southern coast in ruins
There were many aftershocks that day, and even two days later on the 29th, the rumbling of the earth and the aftershocks were still continuing. The damage was particularly severe on the southern coast of the Oga Peninsula, including Wakimoto, where I had planned to go, with not a single building remaining in any of the villages, and there were many casualties
As Masumi writes, the great earthquake that occurred at 2:00 p.m. on August 27, 1810 (September 25th in the solar calendar) was preceded by frequent occurrences of phenomena that could be considered precursors
later known as theOga Great EarthquakeorUgo Earthquake, had its epicenter off the coast of Wakimoto and a magnitude of 6.6. As Masumi wrote, "Kitaura on the northern coast of the Oga Peninsula suffered little damage," suggesting that the area affected was relatively small.
Even so, records show that there was significant damage, with 1,400 houses collapsing out of the approximately 2,900 houses in the affected area, and 58 people killed. The depth of the epicenter was unknown, but it is believed to have been a shallow earthquake. (Source: "1983 Sea of Japan Central Earthquake - Records of Oga City," Oga City, Akita Prefecture)
This earthquake also brought about major changes to the topography. About 700 meters of Cape Ikuhanazaki, where the ruins of Wakimoto Castle and Sugawara Shrine are located, collapsed, giving it its current shape
Six years before the Oga earthquake, the Kisakata earthquake occurred in Akita Prefecture, causing significant changes in the terrain
Masumi recallsDewa Province(present-day Akita Prefecture)Kisakata Takujukushima, which was buried by a major earthquake 20 years later in 1804.
The scenery of Kisakata Kujukushima has been said to be as beautiful as Matsushima since ancient times, and many people, including Matsuo Basho, visited the area as tourists. In the great earthquake of 1804, the land rose by more than 2 meters, and the shallow seabed of the Kujukushima islands became land overnight
Although Masumi did not leave any drawings of the tragic scenes after the Oga earthquake, he visited Wakimoto, which was close to the epicenter and suffered the most severe damage after the earthquake, and recorded in detail the tragic conditions there, leaving behind a valuable document for future generations as a record of the Oga earthquake
Location: Nanasawa, Wakimoto, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0185-24-4700 (Oga City Tourism Association)
access:
Public transportation: Approximately 30 minutes on foot from Wakimoto Station on the JR Oga Line, or take a taxi
By car: Approximately 25 minutes from Showa Oga Peninsula IC on the Akita Expressway
GOOGLE MAP
Experience Namahage in a village in the northern part of the Oga Peninsula in January
In October, they spent some time in the village that had been hit by the earthquake, and with the support of the feudal domain, they resumed their journey once things had calmed down
They travel north to the base of the Oga Peninsula and spend about two months exploring the surrounding area near Lake Hachirogata. They celebrate New Year's 1811 in Miyazawa (Noishi, Oga City), a village located halfway between Lake Hachirogata and the Sea of Japan. While they are relaxing and enjoying the New Year's atmosphere, a Namahage suddenly appears on the 15th
Namahage drawn by Masumi. According to the caption, it was held on January 15th during the Edo period. From a manuscript of "The Cold Wind of Oga" in the Akita Prefectural Museum
"Late in the evening, while the fire was lit and everyone was sitting in a circle around the hearth, suddenly a man wearing a vermilion mask with horns, with his jet-black hair disheveled, wearing a bamboo net and holding a small knife, burst in, crying "Wow!"
The children are shocked and say, "It's a namahagi (raw skinned fish)," and they don't make a sound but cling to people and hide in the shadows. When they are given rice cakes, they are threatened with, "Wow, it's scary, don't cry."
"Namahagi" is the origin of the word "Namahage," and when you look at the literal meaning, you might imagine something terrifying like "skinning off flesh!" However, the brown bruises caused by low-temperature burns that occur when you get too close to a fire to keep warm are called "namomi," and it actually refers to peeling them off
Namahage looks like a demon, but they are said to be messengers from the mountains who admonish lazy people who spend all their time sitting around a kotatsu or hearth during the winter farming off-season, and who pray for good health and bountiful harvests
TheNamahage, known as "Oga no Namahage," is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.Visiting Deities: Masked and Disguised GodsIt is also listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage as one of the
We spent New Year's in Oga as snow accumulated from the 15th onwards, and finished "Oga's Cold Wind" on February 1st
The Oga Peninsula, where Masumi Sugae walked, has been equipped with 90 signposts and information boards for visitors to explore
The path that Sugae Masumi walked on the Oga Peninsula has been preserved as the "Sugae Masumi Path," with marker posts at 83 locations with some connection to him, and detailed explanatory signs at 8 other locations. Please use this as a guide when exploring the Oga Peninsula.
Link: Following the Oga Peninsula Walked by Masumi Sugae (3 Parts)
My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts
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