Tsuchizaki was a port of call of
Kitamae-bune in the Edo period (1603~1868). It was a
liner of the Sea of Japan and took a very important role for water
transportation.
The float parade of Tsuchizaki Shinmei
Shrine Festival is famous. Isabella L. Bird who was a British lady visited the
festival in 1878. Thirty-two thousand people gathered at that time.
Reference: Travel of Isabella L. Bird in 1878, part 6
土崎は、北前船が寄港する町。土崎神明社祭の曳山行事(重要無形民俗文化財)が名高く、明治に人力車で日本を旅したイギリス人女性のイザベラバードも訪れています。その時は、3万2千人が集まったそうです。
The actual float is exhibited. The height is ten meters. Before electric wires were installed, people competed for the height and built a tall float more than twenty meters.
The floats are built and broke down every year, because floats gather the demons during the parade and contain them.
高さ10mの曳山の実物が展示されています。電線のない時代は、高さを競い、20mを越える物もあったそうです。
山は毎年作り、悪霊を集めて毎年解体します。神輿(=神)と一緒に山車が町内を回り、悪霊を誘い込み封じ込めます。
The festival is held in July, people start preparing for it in May.
7月の祭りに向けて、5月から準備が始まります。
Ondo-tori (supervisor), Furi-kata (driver), Engei (dancer) and every participant make the festival joyful and exciting.
曳山をリードする「音頭取り」、曳山の動きを決める「振り方」、そして踊る「演芸」の人達。皆で、「港ばやし」を奏で、祭を盛り上げていきます。
The float returns to each base in the evening. The community members surround it and welcome it. It's the climax. How enthusiastic it is!
夜、自分の町内に戻る「戻り曳山」で、祭は最高潮を迎えます。熱いですね。
There is a model of Kitamae-bune (ship). The display shows Tsuchizaki town in the Edo period.
北前船の模型が置かれたホールでは、壁面のスクリーンで、江戸時代の土崎の町の絵巻が紹介されています。
We can enlarge the image; it’s understandable. There were so many warehouses at the port.
デジタル展示は、拡大できておもしろいです。
The airstrike in 1945 is exhibited in this room. Around 12,000 bombs were dropped, and more than two hundred and fifty people died. It was only a day before Japan surrendered. What a tragedy!
250名以上の犠牲者を出した空襲も記録しています。なんと終戦前日の8月14日。何とも言えません。油田がターゲットでした。
Visited in October, 2020
Official website: https://tuchizaki.com/ (in Japanese),
accessed in July, 2021
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Akita Kakunodate Tatesu、角館と外町史料館たてつ
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