Fishing, using boats, has traditionally been a major occupation in the Oshima area in Kesennuma The techniques used have been highly valued by the neighboring communities and have contributed to the development of the fishing industry throughout the entire region. During the period known as Wasen Jidai, or the period of Japanese-style wooden boats in the Meiji era, there were 50 fishing business owners. But after the introduction of motorized vessels in the Taisho era, the number of owners decreased to around 10. The local people studied on their own to obtain the licenses required to become captains and engineers, eventually playing an important role in local fisheries as senior officers. In 1991, there were 70 senior fishing boat officers from the Oshima area. However, in light of the harsh situation surrounding deep sea fishing of bonito and tuna, the hiring of new crew members was terminated in 1998.
For this reason, the history of the local deep sea fishing industry may fall into oblivion in the future. Therefore, this project’s goal is to examine, record, and preserve this history. Thanks to the establishment of the Oshima Fishery Library, materials on fisheries have been archived properly. This project aims to consider ways to preserve and utilize materials salvaged from the earthquake and tsunami, as well as collect more materials and personal memoirs relating to the Oshima area for research purposes.
Against the backdrop of the waning deep sea fishing industry, it is hoped that knowledge of how fishing business owners and fishermen overcame various difficulties in the past will be helpful not only for people in the industry but also for the local residents in their efforts to revive deep sea fishing.
（FY2016-2017）
Reports on Field Studies by the Institute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture No. 27
(International Center for Folk Culture Studies joint research project [incentive project] research report)
Historical Changes in Deep-Sea Fishing Practices in Kesennuma-Oshima,
Miyagi Prefecture:
A study of historical materials rescued from the Great East Japan Earthquake
(issued February 2019)
| Name | Specialty | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL | CHIBA Katsue | Fishing history | Kesennuma City Oshima Fishery Library |
| PM | EBINA Yuichi | Japanese Early Modern history | International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University |
| PM | KAWASHIMA Shuichi | Folklore | International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University |
| PM | KIKUTA Eishiro | English and American Literature | Kesennuma City Oshima Children’s House |
| PM | MIZUKAMI Tadao | Fishing history | Kesennuma City Oshima Fishery Library |
| PM | OKAWA Hiromu | Modern Japanese history | Kanagawa University |
| PM | OYAMA Yukiko | Regional history | Kesennuma City Oshima Fishery Library |