Cultural Properties of the Munakata Region
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Oshima in the Early Modern Era: Whaling and Political Exiles |
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During the Edo period (1603–1867) and the Meiji era (1868–1912), Oshima was an industrious whaling base and the location of two penal colonies. Along the northeast coast and on nearby islands, watchpoints were set up to spot whales in the Genkai Sea. A record from 1821 depicts the whaling there and states that “in the sea, the whales come and go like cattle and horses.” Whales were hunted for their meat as well as their oil, a sought-after commodity that was used to deter pests in rice fields. It is suggested that a single whale would have fetched the equivalent of over ten million yen today.
From 1607 to 1908, there were two penal settlements on Oshima: one in Kashiro on the northeastern coast and one in Nagahata on the northwestern coast. Many of the people banished to the island were political exiles. They lived among the villagers and engaged in community service, taking part in fishing and whaling activities, and even teaching island children. |
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