 Image search results - "yosoro" |
Yo-soro Fishing History Museum, 5 min. by taxi from JR Otsuko Station. Pretty large facility with local fishing-related exhibits. 北茨城市漁業歴史 資料館「よう・そろー」
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Welcome mat saying "Yo-soro" which means "Go ahead" for boat navigation.
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In Kita-Ibaraki, the Yo-soro Fishing History Museum's centerpiece exhibit is this wooden boat (祭事船) used in the Hitachi-Otsu Ofune Matsuri boat festival held every 5 years (常陸大津御船祭り).
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It's the city's grandest festival and very unique because this boat is pulled on city streets instead of sailing on the water.
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About 500 people drag this boat along a 1,200-meter route of paved streets. They lay wooden beams on the road for the boat to traverse on.
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The boat, with shrine priests and musicians aboard, is rocked side to side as it is dragged on the street for several hours. This festival will be held on May 2nd–3rd, 2019. At least 160,000 spectators are expected to see it.
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The museum also has display panels showing the tsunami damage suffered by Kita-Ibaraki. Ibaraki Prefecture, being on the southern fringe of the Tohoku Region, suffered major earthquake and tsunami damage in March 2011.Kita-Ibaraki being closest to the Tohoku Region on the coast, suffered the most in Ibaraki Prefecture. The flat sandy beaches were overcome by the tsunami (second wave around 5 meters high) that caused much damage to Kita-Ibaraki. This is the Hirakata area after the tsunami. Besides major damage along the coast, the interior areas had numerous landslides, collapsed walls, and damaged roads due to the quake.
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Ten people in Kita-Ibaraki died directly or indirectly due to the tsunami/earthquake and 186 injured. Over 8,000 homes in Kita-Ibaraki were damaged and up to 5,000 people had to evacuate to emergency shelters.These numbers pale in comparison to the three Tohoku prefectures, so Ibaraki doesn't get much attention with regard to 3-11, although the Emperor and Empress did visit Kita-Ibaraki in late April 2011.
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Display of all the fishes caught in Kita-Ibaraki.
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Yo-soro Museum also has this kami-shibai storytelling room. Story about British whalers who landed on Otsuhama beach in Kita-Ibaraki in May 1824 in search of food and water.It was during the time Japan largely prohibited contact with foreigners. By the 1800s, whaling ships from the West were frequently seen off the coast of Japan. In May 1824, multiple British whaling ships appeared off the coast of Kita-Ibaraki.
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The crew suffered from scurvy due to the lack of vitamin C. They needed water and vegetables so 12 British whalers landed on Otsuhama beach in Kita-Ibaraki. They were willing to barter guns, spears, gold, etc., as payment. (大津浜事件)
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However, the 12 whalers were instead held captive by the local samurai. They were tied to plum trees or confined to caves. More British ships arrived seeking the release of the prisoners.Also, the Mito Clan also brought in neighboring clans like the Taira Clan as reinforcement for a potential battle. Cannons were pointed at each other, but a conflict was averted by giving the whalers the water and food that sent them along their way away from Japan. In return, the whalers gave guns, spears, felt, gold, and silver as payment and had to promise not to approach Japan again.
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