Sail all around Japan: part2

If we make a summary of the 1st story in one sentence, it will be like that. We departed Edo, and we arrived at the Osaka port 12 days later. In our impression, we did well at this point. But, we would face more difficult problems about our next journey from now.

Let's summarize them. 

First, we had already mentioned, we need to sail the Pacific ocean in the south of 'Shikoku (四国)' district, and after that, we should aim 'Kyusyu (九州).'

Next, we have to travel passing through the southern area instead of the northern area (where the traffics had developed).

And finally, we would aim Sea of Japan going almost around 'Kyusyu.'

Then, let's research the information about possibility to sail the Pacific ocean side of 'Shikoku.' The distance between Osaka and Shikoku is not too far. However, we had already mentioned, people didn't travel by ships at that time. The travel by sailing was not popular among Japanese. A few exception was an official travel such as 'Alternate attendance to Edo (参勤交代)' and there would be an emergency transmission some time.

But, we find the fact that the exception was open for business between Osaka and Shikoku. If we can use this exception business, we think we do make a miracle hit. At first, we would like to check the possibility of the route.

This operation was called 'Konpira-bune (金比羅船).' 

In the later of the Edo period, the Konpira-gu (金比羅宮) shrine had been getting people's attention as the spot for a long distance travel. The shrine was located at 'Marugame (丸亀)' in Shikoku. At that time, the long distance travel of common people was prohibited because that was considered as an extravagant behavior. However, there was an exception. If the travel was for religious reason such as pilgrimage to a shrine, that was allowed by the government. (Humans can't live only for work like a horse.)

The Ise-jingu shrine (伊勢神宮) and the Konpira-gu shrine (金比羅宮) were very famous as the destinations of the long distance travels of common people. These people were not everyone but selected few, furthermore, if they could travel, the travel was once-a-lifetime opportunity for them. On the contrary, from the view of the Konpira-gu shrine, so many people visited there and the visitation was unstoppable.

  
By the way, travelers had to journey across the sea to visit the Konpira-gu shrine. The merchants in Osaka had their eyes on the needs of the transportation. They offered inns and ships to the travelers.

'Konpira-bune (金比羅船)' ships traveled from Osaka to the Marugame (丸亀) port in 3 days and a half, if they did smoothly. The reality was different, and the smooth traveling was very few, almost all time the travelers spent without doing anything 5 days and more at their inns. Because of the waiting of the favorable wind. Many became angry and stopped waiting the wind. (Such people walked to Okayama (岡山) district, and they chartered smaller ships, and sailed to Shikoku from there.)

Then the most important question. Can we use this 'Konpira-bune' ship for our travel? The answer is 'No, we can't.' Even though we went over to Shikoku, we can't find the ships to the Pacific ocean side from there. 

Why? That was because of the feudal domain system. The story is a little difficult, so, we will change the chapter here. 

The era when we are imaginary travelling, Shikoku was divided by many feudal lords, Daimyo (大名). We'll describe the arrangement of Daimyo in the map bellow. The central government, the Shogunate of Edo ordered them to keep eyes on each other. So, the neighboring Daimyo weren't friendly to each other. Furthermore, they didn't have commercial activities, and didn't have traffic between each territories.

Accordingly, we can't expect the coastline traffics of Shikoku. (There might be regional costal traffics between neighboring villages, even if these villages were separated by the border line.) As such, we don't select this route because we can't feel confident of the existence of the maritime routes.

What can we do? Our reckless challenge has reached a dead end so easily? Then, we research another possibility. We find another route.

On the map, the Daimyo who dominated the Pacific Ocean side was 'Tosa-han (土佐藩),' who are relatively giant feudal lord. Tosa-han had the maritime route from the port in their territory to Osaka port. They had a monopoly on the product produced in their domain such as lumber, seafood and rice.

Such goods weren't handled by general merchants but special merchants patronized by Tosa-han. Because it would be difficult the samurai of Tosa-han merchandised these large size commercial transactions. Not only Tosa-han but other Daimyo ordered their special merchants the transactions of their local specialities.

These special merchants of Tosa-han lived besides the Kochi port (高知港), where was the very center of Tosa-han. They had their own Sengoku-bune (千石船)、and they traveled to the Osaka port often.

These Sengoku-bune (千石船) threw light on our travel. Which means we have found the maritime cargo route from Osaka to Kochi. And luckily, there is also the route from Kochi to Shimonoseki (下関). Shimonoseki isn't located in Kyusyu (九州) but Honsyu (本州). However, it was very near to Kyushu. So, we suppose that we may easily find the route from Shimonoseki to Kyusyu. 

The cargo traffic between Kochi and Shimonoseki was not so often. However, in this case, we'd like to consider we had very special opportunity to find the traffic. 

Our travel continues like bellow.

We find a timber merchant from Kochi port, and he and we make a deal to ride on his cargo ship. Then we ride his cargo ship (Sengoku-bune) which go back to the Kochi port. We can't find any record about this cargo line's travel time. So, we can't describe the transfer time here. From the previous information, the minimum travel time from Osaka to Marugame is 3 days and half, and to Edo is 6 days. Such figures may help you to imagine how long we spend in the cargo ship. However, there are so many other factors, such as the condition of winds, the loads on the ship or something.

We would like to mention one more thing.

Tosa-han was established at the beginning of the 17th century. And from the very beginning, they had been putting great effort into improving navigation skills. So, they could travel on oceans to Osaka or other places.
 
If we compare it with other maritime cargo lines. The main maritime cargo line from Osaka to Edo had the majority. So, they always had cutting edge technology and technique. We doubt the technology and technique of Tosa-han's ships are level with 'Higaki-kaisen (菱垣廻船)' or 'Taru-kaisen (樽廻船).'
We suppose they sailed along the coastline. (They developed collecting dangerous spots of the coastline route…they focused these kind of development we think.) 

After the landing on the Kochi port, we board another ship belonged with the timber merchant who supported our travel from Osaka to Kochi. 

The ship successfully travel from the Kochi port to the Shimonoseki (下関) port. The area, west of Shikoku (四国), and between Shikoku and Kyusyu (九州) is called the Hyuga-nada (日向灘). This area was famous as the dangerous place for ships.

So, there were many large ports surrounding the Hyuga-nada (日向灘). (The Shimonoseki port which was located at the western end of Honsyu (本州), the Hososhima (細島) port which was at east shoreline of Kyusyu and so on.) 

If we look at other area from Kyusyu, we definitely need to use ships to visit Edo or Osaka or somewhere. Daimyo who had the territories in Kyusyu had their own maritime ships. And they used them when they visit Edo for 'Alternate attendance to Edo (参勤交代).' Furthermore, they used many maritime cargo ships to deliver their special products to the market at Osaka.

In Shikoku, there were only connecting of the dots such as the Kochi port to the Osaka port or the Marugame (丸亀)port to the Osaka port. But, in Kyusyu, there were many connection between large ports in Kyusyu and near Kyusyu. 

So, we can't travel from somewhere in Shikoku to the Pacific ocean side in Shikoku. But, we can travel from Shimonoseki to several ports in Kyusyu.

To be precise, we don't know the main cargo route was including the stopping by Shimonoseki or not. However, if the main cargo ship didn't stop by Shimonoseki usually, other cargo ships visited at a certain percentage. 

Looking back on our journey, we did very few preparation, and if we miss a step, we'll be at the bottom of the deep ocean. But, finally have reached here, we have become able to use a promising information. 

At the southern area of Kyusyu (九州), Kagoshima (鹿児島) district was ruled by Satsuma-han (薩摩藩). And there was a merchant patronized by Satsuma-han, and his name was 'Hamasaki (浜崎)' there. Hamasaki was an extremely rich person who accepted many part of the trading and shipping jobs of Satsuma-han. His shop group had branches all around Japan. We can't describe all of them. But, at least, there were in Osaka, Nagasahi (長崎), Hososhima (細島), Nigata (新潟), Sado (佐渡), Hakodate (函館), Naha (那覇).

There wasn't Shimonoseki (下関) in this list, but describe of Nigata (新潟), Sado (佐渡) and Hakodate (函館) means the operation of 'Kitamae-sen (北前船).' If they had involved the operation of Kitamae-sen, they went in and out Shimonoseki. Because the operation of Kitamae-sen means delivery from Hakodate (函館) to Osaka or vice versa. And each route passed Shimonoseki.

In this way, we find a person concerned the Hamasaki (浜崎) shop group in Shimonoseki (下関). And we make a deal to ride a cargo ship of them. We may stop by the Hososhima port or not, it would not be important difference at all. We finally land the Kagoshima port. About this moving, we have lesser information about the boarding time.
 
Our voyage will stop here this time. At the last moment, we would like to explain a little. According to a reassuring information, namely the maritime route of Hamasaki shop group, we think we can travel to Hakodate (函館). But precise research is not finished.

Please wait until we start next voyage (the next article), bye!

 Sail all around Japan: part 1

We found the description that told "At the Edo period, thousands of 'Sengoku-bune' (千石船) or maritime cargo ships of 1000 and more koku loading ability were traveled all around Japanese costal ocean lines." Furthermore, we happened to see the map named "the ocean lines of 'Sengoku-bune' at the Edo period." And the routes were described all around Japan, from Hokkaido (北海道) to Kyusyu (九州).

By the way, we couldn't travel the past time, exactly the Edo period. However, if we could travel back in the Edo period, do you think we could travel all around Japan by 'Sengoku-bune,' namely the ships at that time? This time, we will describe the article with the words, 'would have' and 'could have' and 'should have.' Then we would like to start the time travel, the tour of maritime cargo ships all around Japan in the Edo period.

We already introduced the fact that there were so many 'Sengoku-bune' (千石船) or large-size maritime cargo ships all around Japan in the later half of the Edo era. These ships were traveled frequently from the production districts to the cargo hub center, Osaka (大坂) and the largest consumption area, Edo (江戸). As you see in the attached map, the routes of the cargo ships were really covered the Japanese archipelago. So, if you imagine in your brain, we think the travel (in the later part of the Edo period) would be theoretically possible. 

First of all, we need to select the starting point. Edo city where cargo ships were mostly concentrated would be appropriate for the place we set off. However, is that really possible to travel around Japan by the cargo ships? And also we need to decide another difficult decision that the route we aim. Should we go north or south? Which route will be effective for us? This decision would be fatal? About the final decision of the cargo lines, we would postpone a little. Again, even though we would have full luck and funds, is that really possible travel around Japan at the later Edo period?  

Before we start our journey, let us consider the situation we were sent. The Edo city of the later Edo period had one million and more residents. It was the first city where had a population of one million. The life of the residents were supported by the shipping from other places. To be specific, supplies were corrected at the largest collecting point, Osaka. These supplies were carried mainly by 'Sengoku-bune (千石船)' or cargo ships. And these cargo ships arrived at Edo and unloaded supplies there. These cargo ships that finished their main role loaded goods of Edo and shipped them to Osaka.

There also were supplies from northern district of Edo, for instance from the Sendai-han (仙台藩) territory. However, the amount of the supplies were smaller than those from southern district such as Osaka. If we selected the route to northern district, we would arrive at least Sendai (仙台) district. At this point, we don't have exact information of the cargo ships which traveled north of the Sendai-han territory. 

Each one is dangerous, however, it would be better to select the southern route from Edo to Osaka first. (In the end it's a matter of intuition.)

Then, which cargo group is more appropriate 'Higaki-kaisen (菱垣廻船)' or 'Taru-kaisen (樽廻船)'? There was the fact that the cargo from Osaka were mainly dominated by these two groups. But, around the later Edo period, the emerging cargo group, 'Bisyu-kaisen (尾州廻船)' became powerful. So, we will postpone the decision a little further.

We will search the information about shipping of the Edo city a little more. There were rice storages of the shogunate in Asakusa (浅草). So, the rice shipped from Osaka was landed at Nihon-bashi (日本橋) or around there and was carried to Asakusa. We guess 'Sengoku-bune (千石船)' which would carry us to Osaka anchored around Nihon-bashi. Then, we pay attention to 'Sengoku-bune' which temporarily stayed offshore of Nihon-bashi.

At this era, no commoner traveled by going across the sea.
(To be precise, there were very few exception, so, if we had a chance we would mention it then.) The Sengoku-bune's clews were only 15 people or so. And for the 15 people, sailing in seas was a life-threatening action. Because the navigation technologies were not established. So, they won't bring some commoners on board. For the clews, the travelers were nothing but nuisances. 

Samurai people might be allowed, because they were belonging governing class. If the governor ordered the boarding, no clew or no owner could reject the order. However, these orders were issued by the sponsor of the cargo such as Daimyo. (For example, if an urgent matter for a certain Daimyo suddenly happened, they made their servants use the cargo ship they had ordered.)

This time, leave it as though an incredible luck come to us. 

 
Then, time has come to decide the cargo ships. 'Bisyu-kaisen (尾州廻船)' couldn't enter around Edo city, because there was an elimination of emerging groups. They could only make a stop at Uraga (浦賀) in front of Edo. Furthermore, they couldn't put in at Osaka and stop at Hyogo near Osaka.

Now, also leave it as though we successfully boarded the 'Taru-kaisen (樽廻船)' aimed back to Osaka.  

When the contest of speed from Edo to Osaka, several cargo ships sailed only six days, but usually the travel time was around twelve days. These cargo ships traveled offshore but along the coastline. The cargo ship we boarded was a sailing ship so the travel was relying on the wind. If the adverse wind had flown, sometimes they went back to the starting point. Let's say that we did well this time. However, we might suffer from severe seasick caught in rough waves.

Our cargo ship departed Edo and resupplied necessary supplies at Uraga (浦賀). And it sailed from the offshore of Shimoda (下田) town to the Kii Peninsula (紀伊半島). Land was totally out of sight. At that time, when the cargo ships got closer to the coast of the Kii Peninsula, they didn't make a stop at some port there, for example Anori (安乗) port. Instead, they anchored offshore of coastline. So, our ship also skipped making a stop and entered the Osaka Bay (大坂湾), and docked at the Osaka port (大坂港). 

There were very few records of voyages at that time. And the analysis of the records were not enough done. Furthermore, disclosure of fruits of research was not enough. As such, our travel was supposed like the previous description.

Thus we had started Edo and arrived Osaka after 12 days.  

By the way, if we traveled by the land route, how many days we had to prepare? At that time, people traveled 40 kilometers a day by walk according to a book information. So, we should spend 13 days from Edo to Osaka. You may say travel over the seas didn't have so much advantage. The reason why the land route from Edo to Osaka had a big advantage was the existence of the highway, 'Tokaido (東海道)'. This highway was the most maintained one from Edo to Kyoto at that time.

However, when you selected the land route, the weather problems prevented your smooth travel very often. For example, you needed to pass large rivers several times and some of them weren't equipped the bridges. When heavy rain fell, your traffic was stopped by the rural government order at the riverside (this was called 'Kawadome (川留)'). And one more information, travel from Kyoto to Osaka was a one day trip by river boats.

All in all, at the later Edo period, there wasn't enough advantage for marine travel. We'd like to finish the first chapter at Osaka. We arrived at Osaka 12 days after leaving Edo. But what will happen next?

There were so many cargo lines in the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海). However, we just had taken a quick look, there was no line to Shikoku (四国). For the travel all around Japan, we have to sail offshore of Shikoku's Pacific side and visit Kyusyu (九州) 's Pacific side. Can we find the route like that?

That's what looking forward to the next article, bye!