Places of interest around the Five Lakes of Mikata 2

Kitamaebune

Kitamaebune is a generic name for merchant ships that sailed between Hokkaido and Osaka along the Sea of Japan from the Edo Period to the Meiji Era. These ships earned large profits by purchasing specialty products at a port of call and selling them at other ports. They also had a great impact on the culture of various regions, such as kelp from Hokkaido leading to the development of dishes that use dashi in western Japan. Hayase was also a port of call for Kitamaebune, and the footprints of the ship owners can still be seen in the floats and portable shrines in the village.

Townscape of Hayase

In the old days, this small village prospered through commerce, such as shipping (such as the Kitamaebune), fish and seafood brokerage, and peddling of agricultural machinery called Senbakoki throughout the country. If you take a stroll through the village, you will find storehouses with walls painted in a traditional Japanese style called Namako walls, which is a testament to the prosperity of the village in those days.

Zuirinji Temple

This old temple was founded in 1430 by the Buddhist priest Kosuke Tensho, and is the fourth temple of the Wakasa 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. The principal image of worship is the Shakyamuni triad, which is enshrined in front of the main hall. At Ipponzakura no Oka (certified as one of 100 Hometown Views of Fukui) next to Zuirinji Temple, visitors can enjoy the harmony of the beautifully shaped solitary cherry tree and the view from the small hill.

SAKURASAKU ‘BLOSSOMS BLOOM'

The movie SAKURASAKU ‘BLOSSOMS BLOOM', which was released nationwide in 2014, is based on Gege, a collection of short stories written by singer Masashi Sada, and was set in Mihama Town. The climax of the film was shot on Ipponzakura no Oka at Zuirinji Temple, which is a key location in the story and is still visited by fans today.

Hiruga Bridge

This bridge is located on the canal connecting Wakasa Bay and Lake Hiruga. From the bridge, visitors can see the beautiful emerald green canal and fishing boats going out to Wakasa Bay. The Hiruga Underwater Tug-of-War held on the third Sunday of January every year is designated as a National Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and is a must-see heroic Shinto ritual. A 40m-long rope is passed over the canal, and the young men jump into the water from the bridge to compete in a tug-of-war, causing their bodies to turn red.

Townscape of Hiruga

Lake Hiruga, which is connected to Wakasa Bay, is surrounded by buildings belonging to people involved in the fishing industry, creating a nostalgic scenery that can be described as one of the original landscapes of Japan. Many anglers visit the lake, and there are also guest houses and fishing ponds in the surrounding area to entertain visitors.

Urami River (canal)

The largest man-made waterway in the Five Lakes of Mikata that connects Lake Suigetsu and Lake Kugushi. Around 360 years ago, Namekata Kyubei opened the canal to solve the problem of fields by the lakeside flooding during long periods of rain. It is said that the construction work was carried out in accordance with the command of the gods, which was to "proceed in the direction the cormorant birds fly". It took two years and 230,000 laborers to complete the work. The excavation created new land around the lake and gave birth to the three villages of Ikura, Narude, and Umiyama.

Places of interest around the Five Lakes of Mikata 1