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Hello everyone! I am from "Rias Ark Museum of ArtMy name is Masamitsu Kayaoka and I am a curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
So far, I have written articles about Kesennuma's food culture and fishing culture.
Check out past articles here!
The theme this time is ...
The NHK historical drama "The 13 Lords of the Kamakura" is reaching its climax. So, this time, we will introduce some historical spots in Kesennuma, focusing on those that may be related to the drama.
Mount Tatsukane is a mountain with an altitude of about 512m that straddles Kesennuma City and Minamisanriku Town. It has been worshipped as a sacred mountain since ancient times. There are 11 sutra mounds remaining on the summit. Sutra mounds are mounds built to preserve Buddhist scriptures for future generations, and are like time capsules. They were built towards the end of the Heian period and are thought to have been involved with the Oshu Fujiwara clan, and it is believed that there are other related ruins lying dormant within the mountain. Why not take the time to reflect on a thousand years of history? For access etc.CLICK HERE.
This area was so important to the Oshu Fujiwara clan that they even built a sutra mound on Mount Tatsugatake. This is thought to be because the area was a source of high-quality gold dust. The southern Kitakami Mountains is one of Japan's leading gold-producing regions. There is a wide range of history, culture and historic sites related to gold, including the Shikaori Gold Mine, which produced the famous "Monster Gold," and the area has been designated a Japan Heritage Site as "Michinoku Gold Romance." For more information,Japan Heritage Portal Site for more information.
Akaiwa Castle Ruins
The Oshu Fujiwara clan was at the height of its prosperity, but in 1189, it was attacked and destroyed by samurai forces led by Minamoto no Yoritomo. As someone who lives in the Tohoku region, I was looking forward to seeing the battle scenes set in Hiraizumi, but in "Kamakuradono," the battle was quickly settled with the narrator's words, "crushing victory" (lol). After the war, the territories under the control of the Oshu Fujiwara clan were distributed as fiefs to vassals who had made distinguished contributions. They established bases in various places, and throughout the Middle Ages, they migrated to the Tohoku region, branched out into other families, and expanded their clans.
In 1223, Kumagai Naomune built Akaiwa Castle (also known as Akaiwakan) and moved to Kesennuma. Kumagai Naomune was the grandson of Kumagai Naozane, a military commander famous for his one-on-one battle with Taira no Atsumori in "The Tale of the Heike." These episodes, including the "Uguisu-goe Reverse Fall," are undeniably dramatized for their narrative purposes, but "Kamakuradono" skillfully avoids these episodes and successfully balances historical fact with fiction, with the Battle of Ichinotani coming to a close (lol). Although it couldn't be helped, I felt a little sad, so I forced myself to introduce it here. I'm sorry if you haven't seen the drama.
▲Akaiwa Castle ruins
Akaiwa Castle is located in Matsukawa, Kesennuma City. Search for "Akaiwa Castle Ruins" on Google Maps and look at the aerial photos, and you can clearly see that it is the remains of a castle (mansion). Near Akaiwa Castle are the remains of Tsukidate Castle and Nakadate Castle, both of which were built by the same Kumagai clan. At first glance, it just looks like a mountain, but it's interesting to walk around the area and look at it as a castle (mansion) ruin. You can also climb it. There are information boards and other facilities, so it's recommended for light hiking in the green season.
Kesennuma is still home to many Kumagai families. There are also many families with surnames that are thought to have their roots in the samurai of the Kanto region, such as Chiba, Miura, Hatakeyama, and Kajiwara. It is quite moving to see Kumagai, Miura, and Kajiwara families drinking together in modern-day Kesennuma.
Kajiwara Shrine and Hayama Shrine
Up until this point, we have been desperately trying to connect it to the taiga drama, but we have all ended up missing the point. However, in Ishihama in the Karakuwa district, there is a shrine called, aptly enough, Kajiwara Shrine.
In the Edo period, geographical records and shrine legends, it is said that Kajiwara Shrine was founded by Kajiwara Kagetoki's older brother, Kajiwara Kagetsune. We will not provide an explanation or research here, but will simply introduce the shrine.Hayama ShrineFor more information, please see the shrine's website.
▲Kajiwara Shrine
The deities enshrined here are Minamoto no Yoritomo, Kajiwara no Kagetoki, and Kajiwara no Kagetoki. In the worship hall, there is a must-see votive plaque depicting the scene where Kagetoki let Yoritomo escape at the "Shitonodo Cave."
▲Hayama Shrine
Hayama Shrine is also deeply revered by local fishermen, and is especially known for granting blessings for safe childbirth and child rearing. For information on access and parking, please seeCLICK HERE.
Now, I would like to briefly introduce some historical spots from the Edo period onwards.
Smoke House
In Kesennuma Matsuiwa, there is Enunkan, the residence of the Ayugai clan during the Edo period. The Ayugai clan had long served the Date clan and were a highly-ranked samurai family in the Sendai domain. Enunkan has a magnificent garden, which has been designated a national place of scenic beauty. It makes use of the natural terrain, and is notable for the large island in the pond and the fact that it is located on a coastal hill, which allows for views of the sea to be seen. Advance reservations are required to visit. For more information,CLICK HERE.
▲En-un-kan. You can see the ocean from the garden.
Kusushi Shrine
During the Edo period, Kesennuma prospered through its shipping industry. For example,Mount Abais a classic Kesennuma viewing spot, and it was shipping merchants who enshrined the "Anba-sama (= Osugi Shrine)" from which the shrine takes its name. Among these shipping merchants, the Tamaru family of Oshima was particularly prominent. The Tamaru family actively contributed to society by donating to temples and shrines and providing relief to people during famines. An example of this can be seen at Kusushi Shrine on Oshima, where a stone lantern donated by the Tamaru family still remains to this day. For more information on the shipping industry, please see this article:A quick guide! The history of seafood processing and distribution in KesennumaPlease also refer to.
▲The stone lantern at Kusushi Shrine
There are other things on Oshima too.Oshima ShrineThere are many historical sites and famous places, so please take a look around. Check out this article too!Drive across the sea to Oshima'
A variety of historical buildings
Many of the buildings in the Kesennuma Inner Bay area were destroyed by two major fires during the Taisho and Showa eras. During the process of restoration and reconstruction, engineers from all over the country gathered in the Inner Bay area, and many modern buildings were erected. As a result, before the Great East Japan Earthquake, it was a port town boasting an attractive landscape with a diverse mix of buildings built during the Taisho, early Showa, and modern eras. Many of the buildings were washed away or demolished after the disaster, but some have been restored or rebuilt, and are registered as national cultural properties. Take a stroll around these unique historical buildings. For more information, click hereKesennuma Kazemachi Reconstruction Review Committee. "
▲The Senda family residence, one of the buildings in the Kazemachi area
Final thoughts
The last historical spot I would like to introduce is the "changing current townscape." The scenery of Kesennuma was completely changed by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and many historic buildings were washed away. History buffs may find other tourist spots with many historic streets and famous historical sites more appealing. However, historically, Kesennuma has been rebuilt every time a disaster occurred. The historic streetscape before the earthquake was also a landscape that was formed in that way. If you think about it that way, the new buildings and streetscapes that are being constructed right now can also be said to be historical structures and historic landscapes created by the "history" of the Great East Japan Earthquake. There are probably not many tourist spots where you can witness the process of a townscape being created so rapidly. Whether you like history or not, I hope you will visit Kesennuma many times and enjoy the "process of history being born."
▲The Inner Bay area in 2017
▲The Inner Bay area in 2022
For the latest information, please contact the appropriate department.