Sakata in northern Japan developed into a port city on the Sea of Japan coast. It was a base of two regular sea lines. One line went north, then turned south and reached Tokyo, and the other went south and reached Osaka via Shimonoseki. In addition, Sakata was a river port which led to an inland area. Wealth was accumulated and high-class restaurants (ryoutei) flourished, in which customers played with geisha girls.
There were two important historical events
in Sakata. One was the war in 1868, which ended the feudal era (Edo period), and the other was a big fire in 1976. There are sections about those
disasters. Plus, plagues which damaged Sakata people are introduced. The area
of the exhibition room is almost same as two classrooms, however it has rich
contents. I took photos of exhibits under the approval
of the museum.
山形県の酒田は湊町として発展し、江戸時代には、日本海側を南下して、下関から大阪に至る西回り航路、津軽へ北上して江戸に至る東回り航路の拠点になりました。海だけでなく、最上川を経由して東北内陸部からの産物も運ばれました。富が蓄積して、料亭文化も花開いたのですね。
酒田にとって外せない戊辰戦争（1868年）と大火（1976年）についても展示されています。かつて酒田を襲った疫病についても展示されていて、教室二つ分ぐらいの展示室でしたが、内容ぎっしりでした。QRコードで解説を聞けるようになっていて、情報もたっぷりでした。許可を得て展示品の撮影をしました。
Ancient Sakata、古代の酒田
The exchange with a continent country “Bohai” (698-956) surprised me. Bohai dispatched a messenger 35 times, and Japan did 14 times. The first messenger arrived at Sakata in 727 after drifting. Japan brought silk and cotton as tribute to Bohai, and received fur and so on. I respect their courage to go across the sea. Wooden poles in the glass case are presumed the fence of the ancient local government office.
「渤海国（698-956年）と交流」に驚きました。渤海からは35回、日本からは14回、使者を派遣しました。最初の使者は酒田に漂着しました（727年）。日本からは絹や綿を贈り、渤海から毛皮などを贈られたということです。リスクを取っても海へ出て行くのですね。展示ケース内の柵木は、平安時代の出羽国政庁の遺構だったと比定されています。
Business people in Sakata、酒田の三十六人衆
There used to be a super wealthy merchant group which consisted of thirty-six men. It is said that they were retainers of Fujiwara clan in Oushu region and moved to Sakata after the clan collapsed. It was in the medival era. They started managing Sakata port. They were not ordinary merchants: they used their own funds to improve the port facilities and to help farmers. The exhibit above is the equipment of a money exchanger who was a wealth merchant.
酒田には三十六人衆と呼ばれる大豪商集団がありました。奥州藤原氏の遺臣が移り住み、港を管理したのが始まりとされています。豪商たちは、私財を投じて港を整備しただけでなく、農民救済も行ったといいますから、社会活動家です。展示品は両替商の道具。
Water transportation、海運・水運
The ship in center is a liner in the 18th and 19th century. It was a fat ship to carry lots of loads. On the other hand, the liner which linked Tokyo and Osaka was slim and fast. The ship in lower left was used in a river transportation.
弁才船は江戸中期から明治期に海運の主役であった木造船です。千石船とも呼ばれました。北前型弁才船（模型）は荷物をたくさん積める肥満型。大阪と酒田の行き来には二ヶ月ほどかかりました。速い船は一ヶ月だったそうです。一方、江戸と大阪を行き来する菱垣廻船・樽廻船などはスリムでスピード重視でした。右下の小鵜飼船は川で使われた船です。
They put heavy loads (alcohol, stones etc.) at the bottom. The picture shows us sailor’s locations and roles. It says an owner earned around one million dollars per a voyage, because they purchased items and sold them in other places. They were not transporters; they were trading companies.
北前船は、運賃を稼ぐのではなく、荷を買って売却益を得る総合商社です。一回の航海で、千両（約一億円相当）も儲かったといわれています。船底には酒や石材などの重いもの積んで走りました。人がどこで何をしていたかよく分かる断面図です。
The photo above shows living-ware in ship. The charcoal brazier and the sake bottle are able to be used even in a swaying ship. I can imagine the voices of joyful chatting of sailors. The platters in back were not for sailors; those were goods which were transported.
船内の生活道具。揺れても傾かない火鉢、転がらない徳利が展示されていました。船乗りたちの楽しそうな会話が聞こえてきそうです。背後にあるお皿は生活道具ではなく、北前船で運んだ伊万里焼です。
The water transportation of Mogami River covered almost all Yamagata Prefecture. Rocks in the rivers had been shaved since the medieval era. Ko-ukai-bune on the left were typical ships. It says “Rice were harvested in autumn, then those were carried to Sakata in spring by rising water due to snowmelt.” The distance from Yonezawa to Tokyo by land transportation is around one-fifth of water one; I knew how effective the water transportation was before trucking was developed. Various types of ships were made which achieved the target speed and carrying capacity.
最上川の舟運は、山形県をカバーしています。最上義光以来、難所の岩塊を削って舟が通れるようにしたのです。小鵜飼船は、最上川の川船の一つでした。「秋に収穫した米を、春の雪解け水による増水を待ってから、船で酒田へと運ぶのであった」と書かれていました。米沢から酒田を経由して江戸に運ぶことにびっくり。陸路はたいへんで、舟は楽だったのですね。「五月雨を集めて早し最上川」（芭蕉）、は関係ないか。速さと積載量を工夫してさまざまな舟が作られました。
Folklore exhibition、民俗展示
The wooden box is a decollation of Little New Year (around 15th of January). People pray for good harvest or prosperity of descendants.
ケンダンは小正月の飾りで、子孫繁栄や豊作を祈願しました。初めて拝見しました。
A bento lunch box (upper right) is exhibited at the old utensil section. It was used during a picnic or an excursion. It is written that every old family had it; it’s a good craft.
The ofuda talisman of “ThreeMountains of Dewa” (lower left) is for fire protection. It is sticked upside down, which means that the cow extinguishes a fire by its back.
昔の道具の中に、野弁当（右上）がありました。「物見遊山や遠足時に使用されていた」と書かれていますが、「旧家であれば、どこの家にもあった」とも。良い品です。
出羽三山の牛の御札（左下）は、火伏せの御守です。牛が背中で火を消してくれるという意味で、上下逆さに貼られています。
The item on the upper left was used to warm steamed rice by pouring hot water. The ceramic pot was also used for the same purpose; it has holes at its bottom. The wooden box on the right is a bento lunch box. People brought it when working outside. They sticked miso paste inside the lid. When having a lunch, they put water and a hot stone in it in order to make a miso soup. What a wild cooking method it was!
左上の品は、冷たいご飯を温める湯通し。中央の陶器も底に穴が開いた湯通し。そして右端は、弁当箱。蓋の内側に味噌を塗って野外の仕事に出て、焼け石を入れて味噌汁を作ったそうです。ワイルドな使い方ですねえ。
Disasters、災害
At the section of “How did people deal with illness?”, it is written that the way was just praying and enshrining. I understand how they thought. Sakata has been a business hub. A medical doctor wrote, “We should fear Sakata Port, we shouldn’t make light of Mogami River.” Not only loads but also infectious diseases came by the water transportation. The photo above is ritual equipment to send out the deity of measles.
「昔の人は病と どう向き合ってきたか」というコーナーでは、得体の知れない病への対処法は、祈祷や疫病神を祀ることでしたと書かれています。人々の気持ちが伝わりますね。当地は人の行き交いが多い商業地。「恐るべきは酒田港、軽んずべからざるは最上川」と記した医師がいました。荷物だけでなく、病気もやって来ます。写真は、妙法寺に供えられた麻疹送りの御幣です。
A conflagration stroke Sakata in 1976. It started at a movie theater, burned out 1,767 buildings and killed a man who was a head of firefighters. The tragedy is handed down. The burned utility pole is exhibited at the 1st floor.
1976年の酒田大火は、映画館から出火し、1,767棟が全焼、一名（消防長）が亡くなりました。災害の経験が受け継がれています。右下は、ホールに展示されている電柱です。
The internal war in 1868 broke out just after the Edo period. Sakata area was one of the battle fields. A war is a totally manmade disaster, however, it tragically continues.
戊辰戦争。完全な人災ですが、なかなか止められないですね。
A large sail and kite are exhibited at the entrance hall.
ホールには、舟の帆や凧の大物展示もありました。
Special exhibition: Nostalgic signboards and advertisements in Sakata、企画展：昔なつかし酒田の看板と広告
The title of the section was named “Matchboxes of restaurants, pubs and bars in the Showa period (1926-1989)”. Many boxes were displayed beside the map of the entertainment district in 1968. It said, “Collecting matchboxes was popular back then.” I know, I know, each box had a well-defined character because it was also an ad.
「昭和レトロな飲食店のマッチ箱」と名付けられ、飲食街の地図（酒田酒処総覧その1、1968年12月発行）とともに、たくさんのマッチ箱が展示されていました。「昭和にはマッチ箱の収集も流行しました」と書かれていました。確かに、店や町の様子を感じるデザインでしたね。
The paper fans were also ad items of shops. Those were made from bamboo and paper in the Showa period. The fan at upper right was influenced by the western culture.
商店の宣伝用うちわ。昭和のもので、竹と和紙などで作られています。モダンなものもあったのですね。
A newspaper ad of Sapporo Breweries Limited in 1905 (lower right) and an attractive old photo in 1919 were exhibited. Bottles of Sapporo Beer were served at the party. I am concerned about the girl who held something like a doll. What was her role in the adult party?
サッポロビールの新聞広告（1905年）と「サッポロビールの瓶が写っている宴会風景写真」（1919年）という展示です。ビールの広告もユニークですが、人形を抱いたようなお嬢さん、気になりますね。
https://www.city.sakata.lg.jp/bunka/bunkazai/bunkazaishisetsu/siryoukan/sakatashi_shiryoukan.html (in Japanese), accessed in January, 2023
Sightseeing at Sakata、酒田市内の観光
Sannou Club was one of the highest-class restaurants, which is a national cultural asset now. We can see the inside.
酒田きっての料亭だった「山王くらぶ」（国の登録文化財）が公開されています。
Merchants have created splendid culture; they have been familiar with tea ceremony, flower arrangement and haikai poetry. The venue of their socializing or business was a high-class restaurant, it is written. Btw, the traditional folk song includes Osaka dialect, which means Osaka regional culture was transported to Sakata by sea liners.
商人たちが華やかな文化を作りました。茶の湯、生け花、俳諧に親しみ、料亭はその社交の場、ときには商談の場になったと書かれています。ところで、民謡・酒田甚句に、「酒田はよい湊。繁盛じゃおまへんか・・・」と歌われています。「湊を通して上方文化が入ってきた土地柄」でした。
Tableware and trays are placed in this guest room. Sakata is famous for its fishes.
お膳と食器が並べられている部屋もあります。魚がとても美味しい町です。
“Kasa (umbrella) fuku (happiness)” was offered to a shrine or temple, and people prayed for happiness of their family or growth of their children. It was spread in the middle of the 19th century. It is said that the worthiest merchant Honma Mitsuoka (1733-1801) initiated the custom; he ordered a doll maker in Kyoto to make a luxurious "Kasafuku". So colorful!
飾りを傘につるし、家族の幸せや子どもの成長を願い、神社仏閣に奉納していた傘福は、江戸時代後期に広まりました。酒田の豪商・本間光丘（みつおか、1733-1801）が京都の人形師に作らせたのが始まりといわれています。華やかですね。
Official site: https://sannoukurabu.info/ (in Japanese)
About Kasahuku、傘福参照：https://www.pref.yamagata.jp/020026/kensei/joho/koho/mailmag/mampo/kasahuku.html (in Japanese), accessed in January of 2023
The building above used to be a residence of Honma family. It was built in 1768 and is opened to the public.
上は、本間家旧本邸（1768年）。公開されています。
Honma Mitsuoka ordered the festival float above to a craftsman in Kyoto, which followed Gion Festival float of Kyoto. He wanted to vitalize Sakata people. The float, which was named “Kame (turtle) - kasa (umbrella) – hoko (float)”, was carried by ship in 1765 from Kyoto. It was placed in front of Honma residence during Sakata festival, and joined the festive parade.
He was not only a business person but also
a philanthropist. He contributed to build an erosion-control forest at a coast.
The float above is exhibited at Sankyo rice warehouse, which Honma family was
involved in. I introduce the warehouse and its museum in the next post.
本間家三代光丘が、酒田を活性化させようと、京都の祇園祭に範をとって作らせた山王祭の山車「亀笠鉾」です。1765年に京都から船で運んできて、祭りの時に本間家の前に飾り、行列に加わりました。
光丘は、ビジネスだけでなく飛砂を防ぐ植林など公共事業にも尽くす篤志家でした。本品は、本間家がかかわった米倉庫（山居倉庫）に展示されています。次に記事で紹介します。
Visited in October, 2022
Official
site of the museum: https://www.city.sakata.lg.jp/bunka/bunkazai/bunkazaishisetsu/siryoukan/sakatashi_shiryoukan.html (in Japanese), accessed in January, 2023
Previous post (worshipped mountains and the museum in the same prefecture): Three
Mountains of Dewa and Ideha Cultural Museum、出羽三山＆いでは文化記念館
Next post (museum in the same city): Shounai-rice museum in Sankyo warehouse、庄内米歴史資料館と山居倉庫
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