[Part 2] Masumi Sugae's Walk around the Oga Peninsula – Fascinated by the Strange Rocks Along the Coast [Akita Prefecture]

Based on "Oga Gofu," a travelogue of the Oga Peninsula written by Sugae Masumi (1754-1829) during the Edo period , this book introduces the Oga Peninsula as seen through the eyes of Sugae Masumi, contrasting the Edo period with the present day.

The second installment resumes our journey around the Oga Peninsula, featuring "Spring Breeze of Oga," a trip along the north coast, and "Bell Breeze of Oga" and "Island Breeze of Oga," tours along the west coast .

This article will be written with reference to manuscripts held by the Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Archives of Japan, and the National Diet Library, as well as a modern translation published in 2000. Unless otherwise noted, dates from the Edo period are those recorded by Masumi (using the old calendar)

[Spring Breeze of Oga] Our second tour of the Oga Peninsula begins at Kōhanji Temple (Shinzan Shrine), where the legend of the Namahage remains

Masumi spent New Year's Day 1810 in Yachinaka (Okawa Yachinaka, Gojome-cho), near the Oga Peninsula, and on March 20th , he set out for the Oga Peninsula again.

The boat first travels north along the eastern shore of Lake Hachirogata to Noshiro, and then heads south along the Sea of ​​Japan coast, arriving at Sarukawa (Sarukawa, Noishi, Oga City), which is at the entrance to the Oga Peninsula, on March 27th

However, Masumi fell ill there and finally left Shinkawa on April 7th, arriving at the foot of Mount Shinzan that same day

Like the neighboring Honzan, Mayama is a sacred mountain associated with the legend of Akagami, and the Mayama Shrine (formerly Kōhanji Temple during the Edo period) is currently located on its slopes

Mayama Shrine is known for its deep connection to the Namahage, and its grounds include the Oga Mayama Folklore Museum and the Namahage Museum . The Namahage Sedo Festival is held at the shrine every February

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Meet the Namahage at the Namahage Museum and Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum, where all the Namahage of Oga are gathered together! [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/4006

The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum uses skits to tell the story of the Namahage. The visiting deity, Namahage, is a representative folkloric figure of Oga City, Akita Prefecture, and is designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property by the national government. He barges into homes, yelling, "Are there any naughty children here?!" and "Are there any lazy people here?!" Children are terrified by his grotesque appearance and fierceness, crying out in terror. This is the Oga Namahage event, which is still held every New Year's Eve. The Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum and the adjacent Namahage Museum are open year-round...

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Excited to see Namahage for the first time! Report from the 62nd Namahage Sedo Festival [Oga City, Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/38732

Oga City, Akita Prefecture, is the sacred ground of the visiting deity Namahage, arguably the most famous in Japan. https://jp.neft.asia/archives/34981 On February 9, 2025, I went to see the annual Namahage Sedo Festival, held at Shinzan Shrine in Oga City and celebrating its 62nd anniversary this year! The 62nd Namahage Sedo Festival was held over three days. The Namahage Sedo Festival is an annual winter festival held at Shinzan Shrine in Kitaura, Oga City, Akita Prefecture, and this year marks its 62nd anniversary. It is held over three days every year, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, including the second Saturday of February. The Namahage Sedo Festival began...

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Enjoy the magnificent view of the west coast of the Oga Peninsula from Happodai

Masumi, who was feeling unwell, stayed in the village of Mayama until April 11th

On the 11th, I visited Kōhanji Temple, and finally on the 12th, I left Mayama and headed towards Hatasaki (Nyūdōzaki/Nyūdōzaki, Kitaura, Oga City)

Walking along the mountain path, you can enjoy views of port towns such as Kitaura (Kitaura/Kitaura Kitaura, Oga City) and Nomura (Kitaura Nomura, Oga City) below. Along the way, at Tadenuma-no- Tai (Hachibodai/Togahama Shioya Wayama, Oga City), you can admire the magnificent scenery of Ichinomegata (a nationally designated natural monument), Ninomegata , Sannomegata , and Toga-no-Ura (Toga Bay).

After descending the mountain, Masumi stopped off at Kitanoura, which she could see below, on the 14th, and on the 16th she stopped off at a coastal village before arriving at Yumoto (Kitaura Yumoto, Oga City), where hot springs gush out, on the 22nd. She stayed there for a while

Yumoto, along with the hot springs in the nearby Ishiyama area, is now a popular hot spring resort known as Oga Onsenkyo (Oga Hot Spring Village )

While the Ishiyama hot spring was discovered during limestone mining in the Meiji era, the Yumoto hot spring was discovered during the Heian period. It seems to have been very popular during the Edo period, and Masumi wrote that its taste was "spicy and had a hint of ferrous sulfate." "Spicy" means salty, and ferrous sulfate is a type of hot spring that contains iron and is characterized by its greenish color.

Currently,, "Onsen Ryokan Yumoto,", is still in operation, and the spring water is listed as a carbonated weak saline spring.

I stayed in Yumoto until early May, and the "Spring Breeze of Oga" tour ended in Yunoshiri, a village near Yumoto

[Suzukaze in Oga] A stroll through Hatasaki (Nyudozaki), a very lonely place during the Edo period

We will walk around the villages on the north coast until mid-June, observing and learning about local daily life, customs, and events. At the end of June, we will finally depart for the west coast

We arrived at our first destination, Hatasaki (Nyudozaki/Nyudozaki, Kitaura, Oga City), a little after June 20th

Nyudozaki was apparently a poor place where "fishermen's houses were built on top of towering rocks, and rice could not be grown," a landscape completely different from the top tourist destination on the Oga Peninsula today

On June 23rd, I crossed over to Mizushima, an island floating off the coast of Nyudozaki, and took a stroll around it. The island is covered with flat rocks that are just above the water's surface, and it seems that back then, it would disappear underwater when the wind blew

From the boat returning from Mizushima, we gazed upon the sheer cliffs of Nyudozaki, including the "Shikaotoshi" (Deer Drop)

Wandering around the very busy Toga Bay area

On June 24th, I left Nyudozaki on foot and arrived at Toganoura (Toga, Oga City), a port town along Toga Bay on the west coast, on the same day

Toga Bay was originally a volcanic crater and has a beautiful circular shape. Because of this, the waves are calm, and it was a bustling port where "large ships and small boats gathered and anchored, and there were one or two prostitutes around."

Masumi stayed one night in Toga-no-ura, and the next day traveled south alongToga Bay,where she encountered rain and stayed the night at Shioto-no-hama (Toga-shiohama, Oga City). Shioto-no-hama is now the site of the Oga Aquarium. "Oga no Suzukaze" ends here, and she continues with "Oga no Shimakaze".

[Oga Island Breeze]Enjoy views of the complex coastline and unique rock formations of the southwestern part of Oga Island from a dugout canoe.

The journey began on July 13th, departing from Shiodonoura. From Shiodonoura, he boarded a dugout canoe and traveled south along the west coast of the Oga Peninsula, viewing the strange rock formations and leaving behind many drawings

Beyond Shioto, the terrain becomes intricate, with various shaped rocks lining the capes and numerous fishing ports in the small bays. The boat arrived at its lodging, a fishing port called Kamo-no-ura (Kamo-Aosa, Oga City), located in the central part of the west coast

Experience Bon Odori at Kamo Aosa

Masumi,Kamo-no-ura is divided intothe Kamo district (formerly Kamo Village) to the north and the Aosa district (formerly Aosa Village) to the south, separated by the central Kamo fishing port, and even today, houses line the shore for about 800 meters from north to south.

During the Edo period, in the summer, the residents of this beach would "cover themselves with cloths on the sand after sunset to avoid the mosquitoes that gathered there, with men, women, and children all taking their children with them" and sleep there

July 14th is Obon (July 13th-16th / August 13th-16th in the solar calendar), and from morning the villagers prepare red bean rice (azukimeshi) along with boiled fish and vegetables to offer to the family altar. In the evening,the Bon Odori dance <Dadadako>is held grandly by Kamo and Aosa, and Masumi also came to watch and enjoy the night in Oga.

"Dadadako" is a unique name for the Bon Odori dance in Kamo Aosa. This Bon Odori dance had a long history but ceased around 1998. However, it was revived in 2010 thanks to a proposal by university students and continues to this day.

I was deeply impressed by the unique rock formations such as Kankane Cave and Osanbashi Pier

On the 15th, we visited the nearby Shiraito Falls and went inside the Kankane Cave (Kankane no Iwaya/Kankane-do) on the coast. The Kankane Cave is a cave formed by the erosion of coastal rocks by the waves, and it is very magical when sunlight shines in through the holes in the ceiling.

On the 17th, we set sail from Kamo Port and enjoyed the unique rock formations and waterfalls along the coast from the boat all the way to Monzen ( Motoyama Monzen, Funakawa Port, Oga City), the southernmost point. Many of the rock formations were given names based on their shapes even back then, and some of these names are still familiar today, such as Daisankyo (Great Pier), Butaijima ( Stage Island ) , and Kojaku no Iwaya (Peacock Cave). The boat passed between many small islands and arrived at Monzen.

This is Masumi's second visit to the temple gate, andNisshakuji Temple(Akagami Shrine), which he also visited on his previous visit (August 27, 1804).

Nichiji Temple, now knownAkagami Shrine, preserves its traditions, and its grounds featurethe 999 stone steps, as well asthe Goshado(a nationally important cultural property), making it one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Oga Peninsula.

For sightseeing along the west coast of the Oga Peninsula, we recommend the [Oga Peninsula Sightseeing Cruise], where you can admire the unique rock formations and the mountains of Oga from the sea, just like Sugae Masumi.

After finishing her visit to Hishiji Temple (Akagami Shrine), Masumi returns to the town in front of the temple gate, and this is where "Oga no Shimakaze" ends

Later, on July 18th, I left Monzen and walked along the southern coast on a journey called "The Cold Wind of Oga," during which I encountered the Oga earthquake

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 " Sugae Masumi's Path ," with marker posts at 83 locations that have some connection to him, and detailed explanatory signs at 8 locations

Please use this as a guide for exploring the Oga Peninsula

Link: Following the Oga Peninsula Walked by Masumi Sugae (3 Parts)

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[Part 1] Masumi Sugae's Walk through the Oga Peninsula - Kanpuzan and Honzan, a sacred mountain [Akita Prefecture]　

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/36741

Sugae Masumi was a travel writer of the Edo period who primarily traveled through northern Japan and Hokkaido, documenting the landscapes, lives, and customs of the people with colorful illustrations. He entered Akita Prefecture at the age of 48 and continued to explore various parts of Akita until his death at 76, leaving behind numerous writings. He is also considered Japan's first folklorist, and his book, "Sugae Masumi's Travelogue," housed in the Akita Prefecture domain school "Meitokukan," is designated a National Important Cultural Property. Sugae Masumi (1754-1829) left behind five travelogues of the Oga Peninsula, known as the "Five Winds of Oga." © Akita Prefectural Museum.

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[Part 2] Masumi Sugae's Walk around the Oga Peninsula - Fascinated by the strange rock formations along the coast [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/36715

This is the second installment of "The Oga Peninsula as Walked by Sugae Masumi," a series that contrasts the Edo period with the present day, based on "Oga Gofu," a travelogue of the Oga Peninsula written by Sugae Masumi (1754-1829) during the Edo period. This time, we resume the journey along the Oga Peninsula, covering "Spring Breeze of Oga," which follows the north coast, and "Bell Breeze of Oga" and "Island Breeze of Oga," which explore the west coast. Sugae Masumi © Akita Prefectural Museum. This article is written with reference to manuscripts held by the Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Archives of Japan, the National Diet Library, and a modern Japanese translation published in 2000. Unless otherwise noted, Edo period dates are those recorded by Masumi (old calendar). References...

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[Part 3] Masumi Sugae's walk through the Oga Peninsula - hit by a major earthquake [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/36506

This is the third installment of "Sugae Masumi's Journey Through the Oga Peninsula," a series that contrasts the Edo period with the present day, based on "Oga no Gofu" (Five Winds of Oga), a travelogue written by Sugae Masumi (1754-1829) about his journey through the Oga Peninsula. This time, we focus on the final volume of the Oga travelogue, "Oga no Kanfu" (The Cold Wind of Oga), which begins on July 18, 1810. In "Oga no Kanfu," Masumi describes in detail his feelings upon encountering a historically significant earthquake and the devastation around him. This article is based on the Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Archives of Japan manuscript, the National Diet Library manuscript, and a modern Japanese translation published in 2000. Edo period dates are...

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NORIJUN

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