Otaru and Herring During the Edo period, three "places" (trading posts) were established along the coast around Otaru: Otarunai, Takashima (Shikuzushi), and Oshoro. Initially, retainers of the Matsue Domain conducted trade with the Ainu people. Later, with the start of the "place contract system" by merchants, herring fishing using Ainu people and migrant fishermen from southern Hokkaido became prosperous. At that time, herring was highly valued as "fertilizer (fish meal)" for cotton and indigo fields, and large quantities were transported by Kitamaebune (coastal trading ships) to Hokuriku, Setouchi, Osaka, and other areas. Towards the end of the Edo period, as the center of herring fishing shifted to the Koshu region, Takashima and Oshoro became known as "Senkoku Basho" (a place where 1,000 senkoku of fish were landed). Japanese people came to work in the area and settled along the coast of Otaru. Around 1907 (Meiji 30), Otaru alone had a catch of 90,000 tons. The scale of wealth amassed by the bosses of the herring fishing industry can be gauged from the remaining guardhouses and stone warehouses in Otaru. Former Aoyama Family Fisherman's House (Relocated and preserved in Hokkaido Settlement Village) The Aoyama family moved to Hokkaido from Yamagata Prefecture in 1859 (Ansei 6) and operated as fishermen, mainly along the Otaru coast, focusing on herring net fishing. Net fishing required numerous facilities and equipment, including a bunkhouse, net storage, ship storage, seaweed drying grounds, and boat slips. The buildings of the herring fishing grounds are a valuable cultural heritage site, with a concentrated collection of preserved structures. Note that only the detached house is preserved in its original location in Iwakitsu, Otaru City. Otaru Sea Exploration From the mid-Edo period to the Meiji period, the Kitamae-bune (North Sea ships) traveled the Sea of Japan, transporting goods and culture. Seafood such as kelp, herring, and salmon were transported from Hokkaido to the Kanto region. The "Otaru Umi Tsukushi" series depicts Otaru during that time, a port bustling with Kitamae-bune. This includes "Konbu-maki," herring from Hokkaido wrapped in Hidaka kelp and seasoned with a secret sauce free of artificial additives, and "Chinmi," fatty herring carefully smoked and individually packaged in bite-sized pieces. We hope these products will evoke images of Otaru's lively port, bustling with the comings and goings of Kitamae-bune and herring fishing. Smoked herring bites from Otaru Umi Tsukushi Otaru Seafood Delights: Kelp-Wrapped Herring Otaru Umi Tsukushi B - Herring Set: The Foundation of Otaru's Prosperity Otaru Sea Exploration
Purchase online here.