Mitarai : The Port That Time Almost Forgot
Nestled on a small headland of Osaki Shimojima Island that juts out into a calm, protected harbor created by a ring of three small islands within the Geiyo Archipelago, lies a hidden gem in the heart of the Seto Inland Sea—the ancient port town of Mitarai (御手洗). Once a vibrant hub of trade and entertainment, Mitarai today is a quiet and remote place, a far cry from its bustling past. For the residents, it’s a tight-knit community of fishermen and farmers who cultivate citrus orchards terraced on the steep hills that rise behind the town. For visitors, Mitarai is a veritable open-air museum of historic Japanese architecture, with buildings dating from the Edo (1603-1868) to Showa (1926-1989) periods lining the town’s narrow, maze-like streets.
Despite its rich history, Mitarai remained largely unknown to the outside world until a university professor stumbled upon its architectural treasures while touring the area to assess the damage caused by a typhoon in 1991. Soon after, the town was given protected status by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs as a “Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.” However, it wasn't until the Academy Award-winning movie "Drive My Car" was set in Mitarai as a symbol of loss, memory, and human connection that the town gained newfound appreciation and significance. The 2021 film, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, portrays a middle-aged theater director who retreats to the peaceful isolation of Mitarai each night from his work in Hiroshima City to come to terms with the death of his wife and the secrets she kept from him. Travelers who similarly venture off the beaten path to explore this magical destination will experience the town’s charms while discovering Mitarai’s surprising secrets.
Built in 1829, Chisago Hato is a remarkable example of Japanese maritime engineering. This stone piled breakwater and wharf is adorned with a 20-foot (6-meter) high lantern and retains much of its original appearance.
Dating back to 1666 and reconstructed in 1746, Ebisu Shrine is Mitarai's oldest Shinto shrine. Devoted to the patron god of fishermen and sailors and fishermen, it serves as a sacred site for praying for abundant catches and safe voyages.
A Port of Call
The town of Mitarai was established in 1666 during the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) as an official port of call along the important “Kitamaebune” shipping route, which traversed the length of the Seto Inland Sea to connect Japan’s commercial center of Osaka in the east of the Setouchi region with Hokkaido in the north and Kyushu Island in the south. Prior to that, the site was a stone fortification of the Murakami Suigun. Often referred to as pirates, the Murakami network of related families were sea lords that commanded naval armies of skilled seamen and fishermen who controlled the region’s sea lanes during Japan’s turbulent Warring States period from the 15th to the 17th century. Using their exceptional navigation skills, the Murakami anchored their small boats in hidden coves and bays among the sea's many islands, quickly rowing out to passing ships to demand tribute or payment to help them safely cross the sea.
After the Tokugawa samurai family reunified Japan, it outlawed the Murakami, took control of all aspects of society across the country, and ushered in a long period of peace and prosperity. As domestic trade flourished, Mitarai quickly became one of the most prosperous and colorful areas in Japan. Sailing ships carrying goods such as rice, sake, and sea salt stopped at Mitarai’s sheltered harbor to wait for the tides to turn or the winds to change, while local merchants restocked their ships with fresh water and other provisions.
The merchants also provided lodging, public baths (sento), and entertainment to the visiting sailors, and the town became famous for its o-chaya teahouses filled with geisha and brothels housing oiran, who were courtesans that engaged in sex work. The geisha and oiran were also known as “O-chorobune no Onna” because the women (onna) were rowed out to anchored ships in small wooden boats called “chorobune,” which were similar to the fast, narrow boats used by the Murakami centuries before. At one time, there were four brothels in Mitarai, with the Wakaebisu-ya employing over one-hundred women. Today, Wakaebisu-ya is one of the many interesting places open to the public. Licensed in 1724, it boasts an expensively tiled gable roof, a secreted tatami mat room paneled in cedar from Yakushima Island, and garden walls made of volcanic rock from Sakurajima Island, all of which reflect its past prosperity.
During its heyday as a bustling port town along the "Kitamaebune" shipping route across the Seto Inland Sea, Mitarai's harbor was so crowded with sailing vessels that it was said to be "blackened" with them.
At Mitarai and neighboring islands, a distinct feature of the local pleasure industry were the "Ochorobune no Onna," geisha and oiran who would be rowed out to their clients on ships anchored in the harbor.
Mitarai’s commerce and pleasures also attracted the powerful feudal daimyo lords of Japan’s old western domains of Hiroshima, Choshu (now part of Yamaguchi prefecture), and Satsuma (now part of Kagoshima prefecture), who stopped at Mitarai when making trips to the capital at Edo-Tokyo. Here, they plotted the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate during its final tumultuous years. In a small teahouse across the lane from Wakaebisu-ya, the lords of Choshu and Geishu (now part of Hiroshima prefecture) signed a secret alliance against the shogunate, which is considered a significant step in its eventual fall. The elegant building, known as the Kyu-Kaneko Residence and open to the public, houses the only surviving Edo era teahouse of the Ueda Soko School of the tea ceremony. Founded by the samurai warlord Ueda Soko during the Warring States period, the school is renowned for the unique etiquette and beauty of its tea ceremony, a tradition called the “Warrior Way of Tea,” which is still practiced today at the school’s headquarters in Hiroshima City.
Unfortunately for Mitarai, the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate had adverse consequences for the town. During the new Meiji era (1868-1912), Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized to catch up with the West after 250 years of isolation. This included the construction of a national railway network, which diminished the importance of the "Kitamaebune" shipping route, and the introduction of steamships that could traverse the Seto Inland Sea without stopping. As a result, Mitarai's significance as a port town sharply declined.
For several more decades, Mitarai continued to benefit from its reputation as a raucous entertainment district. In 1937, the Otomeza playhouse and movie theater was built, adding to the town's attractions. The building is open to the public and now used as an event space, with movie posters from the Showa era providing a nostalgic glimpse into the past. However, Japan’s introduction of anti-prostitution laws in the post-war years dealt a final blow to the town's already declining economy. Afterwards, the town fell into a long period of stagnation and obscurity, with its population dwindling as people left in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
Arrive By Car or Bus and Bicycle
Mitarai's remote location on Osaki Shimojima Island, once a benefit to the town by creating a safe harbor for seafarers, had the unintended but also favorable consequence of preserving the town in a state of suspended animation by isolating it from modern development. Until 1999, the only way to reach the island was by ferry, limiting accessibility. However, the completion of the Tobishima Kaido series of bridges and roadways in 1999 connected Osaki Shimojima to neighboring islands and the Honshu Island mainland, enabling visitors to arrive by car, bus, and bicycle. This increased accessibility has also encouraged the arrival of new residents, including artisans, artists, and those interested in a slower way of life. With a commitment to preserving Mitarai's townscape, sense of community, and tranquil atmosphere, they are working to revive town life and introduce new experiences and delights for visitors.
Kangetsu-an Shintoyo, a former sailor's inn, has been beautifully renovated and repurposed into the "Sea Front Dining" restaurant on its first floor and an exclusive guest suite on its second, which was where the lead character in “Drive My Car” stayed. A charming option for budget-conscious travelers is Hatagoya Kusushi, a brightly-painted Western-style clapboard building that once served as the town’s medical clinic during the Taisho era (1912-1926). It offers rooms and a shared kitchen for cyclists and other visitors. Additionally, several historic homes, such as Minpaku Tomitsune, are available for overnight or longer-term rental.
Kangetsu-an Shintoyo, showcased in the Academy Award-winning film “Drive My Car”, has undergone a remarkable transformation from a century-old traditional Japanese inn to a sailors' dormitory, and now to a seafood restaurant and boutique hotel.
There is a small but growing number of shops, galleries, and cafes. It’s good to plan ahead as most are open only on weekends or for a day or two longer, depending on the season. Visitors can always find good food at Miharashi Shokudo, the local diner in the town center. The diner is open daily, except on Sundays, and is a favorite gathering spot for locals seeking home-cooked meals and friendly conversation.
The small visitor center located at the northern entrance to the town is an excellent place to begin a tour. Mitarai can easily be explored on foot, and visitors can meander through the nearby Kyu-Shibaya Museum, a former town headman's house that now serves as the local history museum. The museum is open for leisurely browsing, much like all of Mitarai's main sites, which include a surprising number of ancient Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples staggered on the slopes behind the town.
To walk the streets of Mitarai is to step into another world. The town's streets are meticulously maintained and slender bamboo vases filled with seasonal flowers adorning the lattice of the heritage buildings add to the charm. As you stroll around, the only sounds you’ll hear are the chirping of birds overhead, the lapping of gentle waves against the wharf, and the sputtering of tiny fishing boats sailing out to sea.
Access
Osaki Shimojima Island is the second-to-last island in the Tobishima Island chain, which are connected by a series of bridges and roadways that start from Kure City on the Honshu Island mainland. This scenic route can be traveled by car, bus, or bicycle. To reach Kure City, you can transfer from the JR Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train to the local JR Kure Line at either Mihara City or Hiroshima City. Alternatively, you can take a ferry from the mainland or other islands to two different terminals in Osaki Shimojima's largest town, Ocho. The main terminal is for larger ships, while another nearby terminal is for smaller boats. One of the best options is to take a small ferry from Takehara City on the Honshu Island mainland. There are six ferries per day, and the 40-minute ride brings you to the smaller terminal at Ocho, which is only a 10-minute walk from Mitarai. Takehara is the another location in Hiroshima prefecture designated as a "Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings" by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and is well worth visiting.