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.
Masumi (1754-1829) was a travel writer from the Edo period who traveled mainly to northern Japan and Hokkaido, and left behind written accounts of the scenery, the lives and customs of the people, accompanied by colored illustrations.
He arrived in Akita at the age of 48, and traveled all over the prefecture, leaving behind many books, until his death at the age of 76. He is also known as Japan's first folklorist, and Sugae Masumi Travelogue, " which was presented at Meitokukan, has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Masumi Sugae left behind five travelogues of the Oga Peninsula called "The Five Winds of Oga"
Masumi Sugae first set foot on the Oga Peninsula in 1804. He headed north from Kubota Castle (Akita City), first touring the southern coast of the Oga Peninsula, Mt. Kanpu, and Lake Hachirogata (Ogata Village), before walking towards Noshiro (Noshiro City). He compiled his experiences in the book Autumn Winds of Oga
Masumi was so impressed with the Oga Peninsula that he returned in 1810. His travelogue from that time was compiled into four books: " Spring Breeze of Oga ," " Cool Breeze of Oga ," " Island Breeze of Oga, " and " Cold Breeze of Oga ."
These five volumes, including "Oga's Spring Breeze," "Oga's Cool Breeze," "Oga's Island Breeze," "Oga's Cold Breeze," and the first, "Oga 's Autumn Breeze," are known as the "Five Winds of Oga " and are extremely valuable resources for understanding the Oga Peninsula during the Edo period.
Here, we will follow the footsteps of Sugae Masumi in Oga in three parts, following the "Five Winds of Oga." The first part is "Autumn Winds 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 cannot be viewed, but there are several copies of the book written exactly like the original by later calligraphers that remain and can be viewed at Akita Prefectural Museum, the National Diet Library, the National Archives of Japan, and libraries across the country
This article 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 translation published in 2000. Dates in the Edo period are the dates and times recorded by Masumi (old calendar) unless otherwise noted.
reference
Akita Prefectural Museum Masumi Sugae Library (Manuscripts)
Published by Heibonsha Masumi Sugae Travelogue 5 Edited and translated by Takeshi Uchida and Tsuneichi Miyamoto Published on August 9, 2000
*Citations from Masumi Sugae's writings are based on ``Masumi Sugae Travelogue, Heibonsha Publishing, Edited and Translated by Takeshi Uchida and Tsuneichi Miyamoto.''
"Oga's Autumn Wind" - 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. We would use this as a base for a while to tour the Oga Peninsula. Lake Hachirogata was originally a lake at the base of the Oga Peninsula, but most of the lake has now been reclaimed, leaving only a small portion as Lake Hachirogata (Ogata Village)
Kanpuzan. The rock mass at the bottom is "Oni no Kakurezato." The pond on the right is "Aratama no Ike." From a manuscript of "Oga no Akikaze" (Autumn Winds of Oga) in the Akita Prefectural Museum
Visit the "Hidden Village of Demons" and "Aratama Pond"
On August 21st, we climbed Mt. Kanpu (335m above sea level) and were deeply moved by the scenery. On the way down, we visited "Ishikura or Kakurego, a place where many rocks have fallen and piled up like a mountain." This place is still a tourist attraction known as " Oni no Hidden Village ," and is said to be where ogres lived.
Mt. Kanpu was originally a volcano that was active from about 30,000 years ago to about 10,000 years ago, but is now inactive and is not registered as an active volcano. The "Hidden Village of Demons" was formed when lava was pushed out from the ground during an ancient eruption, forming a mountain that collapsed when it could not withstand the weight of the mountain. Inside is a space of about 3 tatami mats, which is said to be the home of a demon
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
INFORMATON
Facility name: Demon's Hidden Village/Kanpuzan
Address: 62-1 Kanpuyama, Wakimoto Tominaga, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
Public transportation: Approximately 20 minutes by Kanpuzan sightseeing taxi (reservation required) from JR Oga Line Oga Station
Car: Approximately 40 minutes from Akita Expressway Showa Oga Peninsula IC
GOOGLE MAP
Shintama Pond, where a woman once jumped into the water and is said to be home to a giant snake
, we stopped off at Pond, at the foot of Mt. Kanpu, where it is said that "a woman named Tamahime once jumped into the water."
Shintama Pond is said to be home to a giant snake. During the Edo period, a woman jumped into the pond and turned into a giant snake. @Akita Prefecture Regional Development Promotion Division
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 Folktalesa young girl named Otama, who was being courted by a village headman, threw herself into the pond to escape him and turned into a giant snake ." There is another new legend about Tamanoike. The original Tamanoike 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.
INFORMATON
Facility name: Shintama Pond
Location: Oga City, Akita Prefecture, Oga Nakatakigawa Kanpuzan Yokodori
Phone number: 0185-24-4700 (Oga City Tourism Association)
access:
Public transportation: Approximately 8 minutes by taxi from Hadachi Station on the JR Oga Line, or approximately 1 hour on foot from Sky Park Kanpuzan Observatory
By car: Approximately 35 minutes from Showa Oga Peninsula IC on the Akita Expressway
From Wakimoto, through Shiosezaki, to the gate of Akagami Shrine
Cape Ikuhana. Wakimoto Bay, where the ruins of Wakimoto Castle are located, is depicted. The forest on the left page is the ruins of Wakimoto Castle. From a manuscript of "Oga no Akikaze" (Autumn Winds of Oga) held at the National Archives of Japan
On August 24th, we went to the coastal town of Wakimoto (Wakimoto, Oga City) and visited the medieval castle ruins of Wakimoto CastleOibanasaki
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, travel west along the coast, Funakawa (Funakawa Port, Oga City), Onagawa (Onagawa River, Onagawa, Funakawa Port, Oga City), no Urano Ura , the southernmost port on the Oga Peninsula, where Cape Shiosezaki is located .
Tsubaki-no-ura is designated as a national natural monument as the northernmost camellia. The white cliff on the left page is [Tsubaki no Shiraiwa]. From a manuscript of "Oga no Akikaze" (Oga Autumn Wind) held by the National Archives of Japan
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 strange rock formations at Cape Shiosezaki. If you look closely, you can see that similar strange rock formations still exist today. From a manuscript of "Oga no Akikaze" (Oga's Autumn Wind) held at the National Archives of Japan
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."
Visit Nissekiji Temple (Akagami Shrine) and reflect on ancient legends
Nissho-ji Temple (Akagami Shrine) is depicted in the later work "Oga no Shimakaze." The building at the foot of the mountain is the main hall. From there, 999 stone steps continue. The Goshado Hall is not depicted as a building on the stone steps in the illustration, but it is depicted near the mountain ridge. "Oga no Shimakaze" - From a manuscript in the Akita Prefectural Museum
After arriving at Monzen visits Nisshakuji Temple , located halfway up the main temple
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."
Nissho-ji Temple was abandoned during the Meiji period, but later Akagami Shrine , and remains include the Goshado Hall (a nationally designated important cultural property) built during the Muromachi period, and 999 stone steps that are said to have been built overnight by five demons.
*For details about the legend of the five bats and the 999 stone steps, please refer to The Demons of the Oga Peninsula - Why do Namahage carry blades and punish people? - Are Namahage really gods?]
Facility name: Akagami Shrine, Goshado, and 999 stone steps
Location: 35 Harakawa (Akagami Shrine), Funagawa Port Honzanmonzen, Oga City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0185-24-9220 (Oga City Tourism, Culture and Sports Department, Tourism Division)
access:
Public transportation: From Oga Station on the JR Oga Line, take the Oga City Bus Oga Minami Line and get off at Monzen Parking Lot bus stop.
Car: Approximately 40 minutes from Akita Expressway Showa Oga Peninsula IC
GOOGLE MAP
Visiting the famous spots at the foot of Mt. Kanpu, we continue our journey from Oga 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 Taki no Kashira, a group of springs where clear water flows from between rocks, locatedShibikawa (Shibikawa, Goria, Oga City)
The area around Takino-kashira is the tip of lava that flowed from Mt. Kanpu, and even now, a lot of fresh water flows out from between the rocks. Takino-kashira is the largest of the springs, forming a pond. The spring water is still used as drinking water and agricultural water for Oga City, and is carefully protected
INFORMATON
Facility name: Takinotashira
Location: 34 Magurogawa, Goriai, Oga City, Akita Prefecture (Oga City Takinogashira Water Source Purification Plant)
Phone number: 0185-46-4105
Tour times: 10:00-15:00
Regular holidays: Open all year round
access:
Public transportation: Approximately 20 minutes by taxi from Oga Station on the JR Oga Line
By car: Approximately 30 minutes from Showa Oga Peninsula IC on the Akita Expressway
GOOGLE MAP
On the Oga Peninsula where Masumi Sugae walked, there are 90 marker posts and information boards set up to help you take a stroll.
The path that Masumi Sugae walked on the Oga Peninsula has been maintained as the `` Masumi Sugae Path ,'' and there are marker posts at 83 locations that have some connection to the path, and detailed information boards at 8 locations. Please use it as an aid when walking around the Oga Peninsula.
Link: Retracing the Oga Peninsula that Masumi Sugae walked (3 times in total)
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.
![f5bf6fe68cc4ca62f3fdb2c19c8f700d](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/f5bf6fe68cc4ca62f3fdb2c19c8f700d-150x150.jpg.webp "Gojome Town, home to a morning market that has been around for over 500 years and "zelkova with breasts" (Akita Prefecture)")
