Seaside Leisure and History of a Port of Call of Kitamaebune
Mikuni once enjoyed prosperity as a port of call of kitamaebune, or cargo ships sailing along the Japan Sea in the Edo and Meiji Period carrying specialty goods of various regions. In ancient days, Mikuni prospered with powerful clans around it and the history of Mikuni has always been closely related to Mikuni port.
In late Edo Period, Mikuni developed into one of the greatest relay stations of kitamaebune business on the Japan Sea side, generating wealthy merchants like the Moritas and the Uchidas. The development of commerce also promoted townsmen culture and craftsmanship that supported great prosperity of Mikuni port. However, as the railway opened in the Meiji Era, hub function of Mikuni port started to be lost and Mikuni port transformed itself from a prosperous trading port to a fishing port. This is a brief overview of how Mikuni was developed and prospered as a port town for about 1,700 years.
When you walk into a narrow lane from a main street, you will see nostalgic town houses with traditional architectural styles of good old days, precious constructions and private residences of wealthy merchants, and old traditional stores. The streets are lined with townhouses with latticed doors and merchant houses that preserve traces of the area’s prosperous past. The old townscape will evoke images of the hustle and bustle of the town’s heyday.
In late Edo Period, Mikuni developed into one of the greatest relay stations of kitamaebune business on the Japan Sea side, generating wealthy merchants like the Moritas and the Uchidas. The development of commerce also promoted townsmen culture and craftsmanship that supported great prosperity of Mikuni port. However, as the railway opened in the Meiji Era, hub function of Mikuni port started to be lost and Mikuni port transformed itself from a prosperous trading port to a fishing port. This is a brief overview of how Mikuni was developed and prospered as a port town for about 1,700 years.
When you walk into a narrow lane from a main street, you will see nostalgic town houses with traditional architectural styles of good old days, precious constructions and private residences of wealthy merchants, and old traditional stores. The streets are lined with townhouses with latticed doors and merchant houses that preserve traces of the area’s prosperous past. The old townscape will evoke images of the hustle and bustle of the town’s heyday.
