Pre-modern Whaling in Yobuko and Ogawashima Island

摘要

Whaling in the Yobuko and Ogawashima fishing grounds had prospered as one of the largest industries in the Karatsu feudal domain and had been known throughout Japan. The operations of the whaling company were typical of those in the Saikai seas in terms of hunting method, whale ground features, and other processes including flensing. On the other hand, however, we can find historical aspects distinctive to the area, including the use of CHIRORI nets and the circumstances surrounding the end of the hand harpooning with nets method. The Yobuko and Ogawashima area continued to prosper as the base for large-and small-type coastal whaling even after the method of hand harpooning with nets had ceased, but whaling ships disappeared from the scene around 1961. After that, purse seine fishery for sardines flourished and many of the whalers worked as crew on the purse seine vessels. Squid fishery is now the main industry of the area, but we can still find many remains of the pre-modern whaling companies and Ogawashima Whaling Co. in the town today, including the former residence of the Nakao family, memorial towers for whales, the torii of Tajima Shrine on Kabeshima Island donated by the Ogawashima KUJIRA-GUMI as well as the garden stone lantern donated by Jinroku Nakao VI.