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

SugaeMasumi was a travel writer from the Edo period who mainly traveled around northern Japan and Hokkaido, and recorded the scenery, people's lives, and customs, along with colored illustrations.

He entered Akita at the age of 48 and traveled extensively throughout the region until his death at the age of 76, leaving behind numerous writings

He is also known as Japan's first folklorist, and his book " Sugae Masumi's Travelogue, " which was kept at the Meitokukan , a domain school in Akita Prefecture , has been designated a National Important Cultural Property.

He left behind five travelogues of the Oga Peninsula, known as "The Five Winds of Oga."

Sugae Masumi first set foot on the Oga Peninsula in 1804. He traveled north from Kubota Castle town (Akita City), first visiting the southern coast of the Oga Peninsula, Mount Kanpu, and Lake Hachirogata (Ogata Village), before walking towards Noshiro (Noshiro City). He compiled his experiences in a book titled "Autumn Wind of Oga."

Masumi was so impressed with the Oga Peninsula that he visited again in 1810. His observations from that time were compiled into four books: "Spring Breeze of Oga," "Cool Breeze of Oga," "Island Breeze of Oga," and "Cold Breeze of Oga."

These five books, "Spring Breeze of Oga," "Cool Breeze of Oga," "Island Breeze of Oga," "Cold Breeze of Oga," and the first "Autumn Breeze of Oga," are collectivelythe "Five Winds of Oga"and are extremely valuable resources for understanding the Oga Peninsula during the Edo period.

Here, we will trace the footsteps of Sugae Masumi in Oga, following the "Five Winds of Oga," in three parts. The first part is "The Autumn Wind of Oga," which describes his first visit to the Oga Peninsula in 1804

The "Sugae Masumi Travelogue," a nationally designated important cultural property, is privately owned and therefore not available for public viewing. However, several copies of the "Sugae Masumi Travelogue," meticulously copied by later calligraphers, exist and can be viewed at the Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Diet Library, the National Archives of Japan, and libraries throughout Japan

This paper will be 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, the dates from the Edo period are those recorded by Masumi (in the old calendar)

[Autumn Breeze in Oga]Walking along the southern coast and inland of the Oga Peninsula

On August 14, 1804, Masumi left his lodgings in the castle town of Kubota, the seat of the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain), and spent the night at Tsuchizaki Port (Tsuchizaka Port, Akita City). The following day, on the 15th, he set out on foot towards the Oga Peninsula

Our first destination was Tenno Village (Tenno, Katagami City), located along Lake Hachirogata, and we used it as our base for a while to explore the Oga Peninsula

Lake Hachirogata was originally a lake located at the base of the Oga Peninsula, but most of its surface has now been reclaimed, leaving only a small portion that remains as Lake Hachiro (Ogata Village)

Visit the Oni no Kakurezato (Demon's Hidden Village) and Shintama Pond at Kanpuzan Mountain

On August 21st, I climbed Mount Kanpu (elevation 335m) and was deeply moved by the scenery

On the way down the mountain, we visited a place called "Ishikura" or "Kakurego," where many rocks have fallen and piled up like a mountain. This place is still a tourist attraction known as "Oni no Kakurezato" (Demon's Hidden Village), and it is said to be the place where demons lived.

Mount Kanpu was originally a volcano that was active from about 30,000 years ago to about 10,000 years ago, but it is currently inactive and is not registered as an active volcano

The "Demon's Hidden Village" was formed when lava, pushed out from underground during an ancient volcanic eruption, formed a mountain-like structure that collapsed under its own weight. Inside, there is a space about the size of three tatami mats, which is said to be the dwelling place of the demons

The space existed in the Edo period, and Masumi and his party "all just stuck their heads in and peered in," finding it so creepy that no one wanted to go inside

It is written that nearby there was a stone called "Suzurimizu" (inkstone-shaped stone with a hollow in it that held water), and this inkstone is thought to be the "Kōbō Daishi's inkstone stone," which is said to still be filled with water and never runs dry

Long ago, a woman threw herself into the Shintama Pond, where it is said a giant snake lives

On the way down the mountain , we stopped by Shin-Tama Pond at the foot of Kanpu Mountain, where it is said that a woman named Tamahime threw herself into the water long ago

Shintama Pond is still known as a viewpoint of Mt. Kanpu, but the legend that is passed down today is slightly different from the story Masumi heard

According to " Oga Folktales ," a girl named Otama, who was courted by the village headman, threw herself into a pond to escape him and transformed into a giant snake .

There is another legend about Shin-Tama Pond. The original Tama Pond was located in the crater of Mount Kanpu, but when the water dried up, the giant snake that lived there moved to a pond at the foot of the mountain

Shintama Pond <Information>

• Facility name: Shintama Pond
• Location: Oga City, Akita Prefecture, Oga Nakatakigawa Kanpuzan Yokodori
• Phone number: 0185-24-4700 (Oga City Tourism Association)

From Wakimoto, through Shiosezaki, to the gate of Akagami Shrine

On August 24th, we went to Wakimoto (Wakimoto, Oga City) on the coast and visited the medieval castle ruins [ Wakimoto Castle Ruins ] (Masumi calls it Ohira Castle) at Oibanasaki

From Cape Ikuhanazaki, we could see Mount Chokai, Tobishima (Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture), and Mount Taihei (Akita City, Akita Prefecture), which gave the castle its name, and I was captivated by the view

The next day, we traveled west along the coast, passing through Funakawa (Funakawa Port, Oga City), Onagawa (Onnagawa, Funakawa Port, Oga City), and Tsubaki-no-ura (Tsubaki, Funakawa Port, Oga City), where camellias grow abundantly, before arriving at Kohama -no-ura (Kohama, Funakawa Port, Oga City) , the southernmost port on the Oga Peninsula where Shiosezaki is located .

Many camellias still bloom at Funakawa Port, and the camellias that bloom around Noto Mountain near the port are said to be at the northernmost limit of their natural growth in Japan, and have been designated a national natural monument

The weather was bad in Obama, so they finally went out around noon on August 27th and saw the strange rock formations at Shiosezaki. Seeing Shiosezaki for the first time, Masumi described the strange rock formations as "a sight that astonished the eyes" and "a landscape that cannot be put into words or written form."

I visited Hishiji Temple (Akagami Shrine) and reflected on the ancient legends associated with it

Upon arriving at Monzen (Motoyama Monzen, Funakawa Port, Oga City), Masumi visits Nisshakuji Temple (present-day Akagami Shrine), located on the mountainside of Honzan (715m above sea level)

As Masumi also wrote, Nissho-ji Temple is a historic temple where the legend of Emperor Wu of Han (an ancient Chinese state) and five bats (the Red God Legend) is passed down

During the Heian period, it flourished as a center for mountain training on the Oga Peninsula, with many branch temples (temples and shrines and lodgings attached to the main temple), but by the Edo period it had become very lonely, as it is written that "only Kisshoin and Chorakuji remain."

Although Nisseki-ji Temple was abolished during the Meiji era,Akagami Shrine, and the Goshado Hall (a nationally designated important cultural property) built during the Muromachi period and the 999 stone steps that are said to have been built overnight by five demons remain.

*For more details on the legend of the five bats and the 999 stone steps, please refer to the article below

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Why do Namahage carry blades and punish people? - Oga Peninsula and Demon Legends (1) [Akita Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/34981

When you hear the word Oga, the first thing that comes to mind is the "Namahage." Every year on New Year's Eve, demon-like figures wearing frightening masks and straw costumes visit homes, shouting, "Any lazy people here? Any crying children here?" They carry deba knives and buckets in their hands. The Namahage are gods who pray for the villagers' health and prosperity in the new year, as well as for good health and abundant harvests in the coming winter. A Namahage descend from the mountains into the village (at the Namahage Sedo Festival). ©Akita Prefecture. While the Namahage may seem frightening at first glance, they are actually there to encourage lazy villagers who spend all their time warming themselves around the kotatsu or hearth during the winter farming off-season, ensuring good health and prosperity...

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We visited the famous sights at the foot of Mt. Kanpu and continued our journey towards Noshiro

After visiting Nisshakuji Temple, Masumi returned the way he came, visiting several villages and arriving at Tenno Village, the base of his Oga journey, on August 30. After staying there for a while, on September 4 he set out along Lake Hachirogata towards Noshiro

On September 6th, we visited a group of springs called "Takinokashira" in Shibikawa ( Gori -ai Shibikawa, Oga City), located at the base of the Oga Peninsula, where clear water flows out from between the rocks

The area around the top of the waterfall is the tip of the lava flow that originated from Mount Kanpu, and even today, a lot of clear water flows out from between the rocks

Among the group of springs, the largest and most prominent is Takino-atama (Waterfall Head). The spring water is still used as drinking water and agricultural water in Oga City and is carefully protected

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)

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[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.

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[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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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[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