Nostalgic portMurotsu

Murotsu has been known for its good natural harbor since ancient times. Even now, time still passes slowly in Murotsu while preserving the landscape of Harima Sea that is admired by many travelers and cultural figures.

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Murotsu

Located in southern Hyogo, Murotsu is a historical and cultural port town that is looking out over Seto Inland Sea. This small port in a small bay surrounded by capes and mountains developed as a strategic point for transportation in olden times, transforming into a place where many travelers visited and goods were traded.

Japan heritage

日本遺産

Ports and Residences Built on the Dreams of Brave Seafarers
- The Kitamae-Bune Sea Routes -

歌川広重「日本湊尽 播州室ノ津」(太田記念美術館蔵)

Utagawa Hiroshige “Series of Ports in Japan: Muronotsu in Banshū Province” Ōta Memorial Museum of Art

 The Kitamae-Bune was a merchant ship that carried supplies from the Edo period to the Meiji period. The shipping route connected Osaka and Hokkaido/Tohoku via the Sea of Japan, and shipowners who wanted to get rich quick traded goods at each port of call. As a result of their activities, they not only delivered various goods but also promoted cultural exchange across Japan.

“There is business opportunity where people gather!”
 The so-called “sailors of Muro” were active early on in Murotsu which is a good natural harbor. They amassed great wealth calling at all ports on the route. The magnificent buildings of wealthy merchants, Shimaya and Uoya, have been preserved as the Murotsu Kaieki-kan (Murotsu Museum of Sea Port) and the Murotsu Minzoku-kan (Murotsu Museum of Folklore), respectively. Walk around and explore the Moyai stone that was used for mooring ships, as well as the shrine and the temple shipowners visited to see and feel how they spent time at the port.

 In May 2019, the story of Kitamae-Bune that has been passed down for generations in Murotsu was recognized as a Japan Heritage with the title “Kitamae-Bune Sea Routes-Ports and Residences Built on the Dreams of Brave Seafarers”.

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