It has developed as a port for Yoneshiro River logistics, and its role is the address, and remains in modern times, "Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City" [Akita Prefecture]

The Yoneshiro River runs from east to west through the center of Noshiro City

The river originates at Mt. Nakadake (1,024m above sea level), which straddles Akita, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures, passes through Kosaka Town, Kazuno City, Kitaakita City, Odate City, and other areas, before emptying into the Sea of ​​Japan in Noshiro City. The river basin is home to Akita cedar forests and the Shirakami Mountains, a World Heritage Site, and the timber cut down there was transported to Noshiro on the Yoneshiro River and shipped all over the country

Additionally, since the Edo period, mines such as Osarizawa Mine (Kazuno City), Kosaka Mine (Kosaka Town), and Ani Copper Mine (Kitaakita City) have been developed in the surrounding area, and they play an important role in transporting their products

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A relay station on the Yoneshiro River. This is where cargo was unloaded and reloaded

About 35km from its mouth, the Yoneshiro River makes a large hairpin bend. In addition, large tributaries such as the Fujikoto River River from the south join this area, making the river's flow complex and it has long been known as the most difficult section of the Yoneshiro River.

Several docks were built in this area, but the largest port was built at the confluence with the Fujikoto River

At the end of the Sengoku period, Niageba (cargo area) , and it grew into such a large settlement that it was called Niageba Village (Niageba, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City). Akita cedar transported from the Yoneshiro River and its tributaries was assembled into large rafts at Niageba and sent out to Noshiro Port at the river's mouth.

In addition, the residents' daily necessities were transported from Noshiro Port to the loading dock on large sailing boats called chobune zuai-bune " and transported upstream.

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When Fujiwara Yasuhira was fleeing from Minamoto no Yoritomo, he threw away his helmet and armor near the loading dock

Based on archaeological findings, it is believed that people first lived along the Yoneshiro River near Nijoba during the Jomon period. The Nihon Shoki records that in 658, during the Asuka period, Abe the Yamato passed through this area on his march to conquer the uncivilized Tohoku region, which the court called Emishi .

It is believed that in the latter half of the Heian period, powerful clans such as the Kiyohara clan and the Oshu Fujiwara clan took turns controlling Futatsui

Fujiwara no Yasuhira (1155-1189), the last head of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, was attacked by Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-1199) for hiding Minamoto (1159-1189), and was forced to flee north from Hiraizumi in Oshu (

At that time, he threw his helmet at Kiriishi (Kiriishi, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City), a nearby loading dock, and his armor at Usui (Usui, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City). The people of the village took pity on Yasuhira and built Kabuto

Kabuto Shrine <Information>

• Facility name: Kabuto Shrine
• Address: 8 Yamane, Kirishi, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0185-73-5075 (Futatsui Town Tourism Association)
• Public transportation: Approximately 5 minutes by taxi from Futatsui Station on the JR Ou Main Line
• By car: Approximately 7 minutes from Futatsui Shirakami IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

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Yoroi Shrine <Information>

• Facility name: Yoroi Shrine
• Phone number: 0185-73-5075 (Futatsui Town Tourism Association)
• access:
  • Public transportation: Approximately 7 minutes by taxi from Futatsui Station on the JR Ou Main Line
  • By car: Approximately 5 minutes from Futatsui Shirakami IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

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The most difficult part of the Yoneshiro River is near the loading dock

The area around the loading dock, said to be the most dangerous spot on the Yoneshiro River, was dangerous not only because of the river current but also for land travel

The riverbank is a high cliff, so to go further one must either walk a steep mountain path or cross the Yoneshiro River by boat. This ferry is only about 1 km from the loading site to the neighboring village of Kotsunagi (Kotsunagi, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City), but because the river's currents are complex and it takes as long as walking one ri (4 km), it was called the one-ri ferry

It is said that the processions of the Tsugaru clan, who were on alternate attendance to Edo, used the Ichiri no Watashi Ferry to travel between the two domains

On the other hand, the mountain road Chicken Hill) and was not used much.

In the Meiji era, this road was constructed for Emperor Meiji's Tohoku tour (inspection of the Tohoku region) in 1881 (Meiji 14), and the Emperor and his entourage passed along this road on their way to their next destination. While taking a rest along the way, the Emperor received a letter from the Empress, who expressed concern for the tour. Upon reading it, the Emperor was so moved that he named Kimimachizaka

Currently, the area, including the surrounding area, has become a popular park known as Kimimachizaka Prefectural Natural Park

Kimimachizaka Prefectural Natural Park <Information>

• Facility name: Kimimachizaka Prefectural Natural Park
• Location: 51 Kotsuneizumi, Futatsuicho, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0185-73-5075 (Futatsui Town Tourism Association)
• access:
  • Public transportation: Get off at Futatsui Station on the JR Ou Main Line, take the Futatsui Community Bus for about 9 minutes, then go to the Futatsui Roadside Station bus stop (community buses do not operate on Sundays and holidays), then walk for about 5 minutes, or take a taxi for about 5 minutes
  • Car/Approx. 10 minutes from Futatsui Shirakami IC on the Akita Expressway, or 15 minutes from Odate Noshiro Airport IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

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The Satake clan of the Kubota domain secured financial resources for the domain through the sale of Akita cedar

The Satake clan, who were appointed as rulers of the Akita region during the Edo period, focused their attention on the Akita cedars

Fushimi Castle in Kyoto . Its popularity reached its peak during the Edo period, when it was also used in the construction of the city of Edo. Nijoba became a central collection point for Akita cedar and prospered greatly along with Noshiro Port.

However, forest resources rapidly decreased because a large amount of Akita cedar was used for reconstruction following the Meireki fire that occurred in Edo in 1657. Feeling a growing sense of crisis, the Kubota domain created a system to restrict logging and made efforts to protect resources, but their efforts were not very successful

Meanwhile, the Kubota Domain was proactive in mining development, discovering many mines in the mountains around the loading docks. In the 1660s, the Ani Copper Mine , which would later become the largest copper mine in Japan, and the long-known Tara Mine (Fujisato Town, Akita Prefecture) began full-scale operations. Their products were collected at the loading docks where tributaries converged, just like Akita cedar, and then transported to Noshiro Port.

This helped to improve the finances of the Kubota domain, but it left them with one major problem: despite its high production volume, the Ani Copper Mine was contaminated with impurities, which resulted in it being unpopular with the Edo Shogunate

The Kubota Domain (Akita Domain) then planned to build a new smelter in Nijoba Village

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Kagoyama Smelter, a state-of-the-art smelter constructed at the loading dock

In addition to being a shipping port for copper mine products, the loading dock was also a collection point for timber (cedar) used to generate heat to melt the ore needed for smelting. Furthermore, the Tara Mine, located upstream of the Fujikoto River, produced lead, which was needed as a catalyst to separate copper and silver. Also, as it was a large settlement, there was no need to worry about manpower

In 1775, a new smelter was completed on Kagoyama in Nijoba village and named Kagoyama Smelter

To build this smelter, the Kubota clan heard that there was a scholar in Edo who had knowledge of the latest smelting methods for extracting copper, so they invited him to Akita. This man was Hiraga Gennai ( 1728-1780), a scientist, doctor, and mining consultant who invented the Elekiteru.

taught the smelting method known as "Nanban-fuki" (also known as Nanban-shibori), which uses lead to remove silver and other impurities from crude copper

The Kagoyama Smelter, which adopted the Nanban-buki method, succeeded in producing near-pure copper and silver, bringing great profits to the Kubota domain. In particular, the Kagoyama Smelter is said to have made a significant contribution to the domain's financial maintenance by illegally producing silver and copper coins that were valid only within the domain

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Kagoyama Smelter, which operated as a smelter until the early Meiji period

The Kagoyama Smelter was closed in 1894 (Meiji 27) when Furukawa Mining, which owned the Ani Mine at the time, built the-art Shinonome Smelter

At the site of the Kagoyama Smelter, there are remains of a reservoir, stone walls of residential areas, and Kagoyama Shrine, but no buildings remain

Kagoyama Smelter Site <Information>

• Facility name: Kagoyama Smelter Ruins
• Location: Kagoyama, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0185-73-5075 (Futatsui Town Tourism Association)
• Visit: Free
• access:
  • Public transportation: Get off at Futatsui Station on the JR Ou Main Line, then take a community bus or taxi for approximately 10 minutes
  • By car: Approximately 10 minutes from Futatsui Shirakami IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

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The cargo terminal developed as a base for water transportation, but in the Meiji period, the method of distribution changed from water transportation to land transportation

In 1901 (Meiji 34), a station on the Ou Main Line was opened in Futatsui (Futatsui Ota area, Noshiro City), near the cargo terminal. At the same time, the line was extended to Noshiro Station (now Higashi-Noshiro Station), and the distribution hub shifted from the cargo terminal to the area around Futatsui Station

The village of Nijoba existed as an independent municipality until 1955 (Showa 30), when it merged with Futatsui Town, which was centered around Futatsui Station, and became part of Futatsui Town.Furthermore, in 2006, Futatsui merged with Noshiro City to form Noshiro City, and the village now retains its name as Nijoba, Futatsui Town, Noshiro City

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