Together with Ukita Hideie and his wife, Gohime, from the Okayama Sengoku Project, which is based in Hayashima Town , Okayama Prefecture , we toured spots associated with the Ukita and Togawa families that are essential to discussing the town's history.
2024.05.22In the past, between Kojima , which is floating in the Seto Naikai , and the mainland, there were more than 20 islands, including Hayashima, and a shallow sea called "Kibi no Anaumi" stretched out. Hayashima Town was the pioneering location for the land reclamation project to fill in this sea.
The beginning of Kojima Bay reclamation! Ukita Dam starting point (Tatsujin Shrine)
During the late Sengoku period, Ukita Hideie, who ruled this area, built a levee to fill in Kibi's Anaumi Sea. "This is where we started building the levee!" Hideie excitedly introduced his accomplishments. Hideie was the lord of Okayama Castle and one of the five elder statesmen of the Toyotomi government. He is said to have ordered Oka Toyomae no Kami Katsutoshi and Chihara Tamibe Kuemon, who oversaw the construction of the levee for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's famous ingenious plan to siege Takamatsu Castle in Bitchu, to build the levee. In the grounds of Ryujin Shrine in Hayashima Town, there is a stone monument inscribed "The starting point of Ukita's levee," which still tells us that this was the place where the reclamation of Kojima Bay began.
By the way, Ryujin Shrine is a shrine affectionately known to locals as "Gion-sama," and within its grounds are Ryuo-gu Shrine, Gion-sha Shrine, and Nabemori-gu Shrine. It is said that rain-making rituals were held at Ryuo-gu Shrine and Nabemori-gu Shrine, which are dedicated to the god of water, during times of drought.
The large embankment stretched from Tamon-ka-hana in Hayashima Town(where the stone monument is located) to Mukaiyama in Kurashiki , and further on to Sakatsu, and was called the "Ukita Embankment." The prefectural road Kurashiki Senoo Line (Prefectural Road 152) that currently runs through Hayashima is said to be the remains of this embankment.
*The street that runs east-west in front of Ikashinoya, a cultural creation center that houses a cafe and rental space, is the Kurashiki Kurashiki Prefectural Road.
The perfect Hayashima souvenir! Ukita ware from Koike Confectionery
Koike Kashiho is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop located along the Kurashiki- Kojima Kurashiki Road. Here you can find a sweet called Ukita-yaki, the perfect souvenir from Hayashima. The dough, made with rice flour from Okayama Prefecture, is chewy and moist. Sandwiched between the dorayaki are the elegantly sweet bean paste made from Bitchu Dainagon azuki beans and chopped chestnuts, making for a dorayaki that is both enjoyable and delicious in texture. Each one costs 240 yen.
There are many other popular products as well. The "Hatamoto" (170 yen), which has the three cedars on the packaging, the family crest of the Hatamoto Togawa family, is a baked confectionery with a flat, crispy pastry filled with bean paste. In addition to red bean, there are various flavors such as matcha, cherry Sakura, and yuzu. There are also fresh sweets, seasonal fruit daifuku, and seasonal event sweets, such as "Hayashima Senbei" (160 yen), "Hayashima Monaka" (190 yen), and "Chestnut Pie" (190 yen).
[Koike Confectionery Shop]
Address: 1365 Okayama Prefecture, Hayashima Town Hayashima, Okayama Prefecture
Business hours: 8:30-18:00
Closed: Open daily
Parking: Available (3 spaces next to the store)
Koike Confectionery Shop | Official Website
The Togawa Family Memorial Museum houses historical documents of the hatamoto who ruled Hayashima after the Ukita family.
We also visited the museum of the Togawa clan, who ruled over 3,400 koku of land, including the village of Hayashima in Bitchu, for over 200 years during the Tokugawa era after the Ukita clan, and learned about the history of Hayashima Town. The Togawa clan were hatamoto (vassals directly under the shogun with less than 10,000 koku of land) who fought on the Higashi side (Tokugawa side) in the decisive battle of Sekigahara and distinguished themselves as warriors.
The museum, which was renovated from the book storehouse of the former Togawa family camp completed in 1709 (6th year of the Hoei era), displays historical materials that have been passed down through the Togawa family for generations, such as a painting depicting Togawa Tatsuyasu's participation in the Battle of Sekigahara, a red seal letter from Hayashima indicating that he was given 3,400 koku of land by the second Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada, armor, and joinery.
The Togawa family served the Ukita clan for a long time, playing an active role as senior vassals in charge of Tsuneyama Castle in Kojima , Bizen . However, they left Bizen due to a power struggle among the Ukita clan's vassals, and went to Kanto at the arrangement of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideie and Gohime had mixed feelings about this museum about the Togawa clan, who parted ways with the Ukita clan! However, they were fascinated by the explanation given by Kurose Hideki, a member of the Cultural Properties Protection Committee. They thought about the history of Hayashima in the future.
[Togawa Family Memorial Museum]
Address: 1292 Okayama Prefecture, Hayashima Town Hayashima, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-482-1511 (Hayashima Town Hall Lifelong Learning Division)
Opening hours: Sundays and public holidays 10:00-16:00 *Closed between 12:00-13:00
Closed: Monday to Saturday *May be open upon prior request
Parking: Available (shared with Hayashima Children's Center parking lot)
"Furo no Michi" is a walking trail where you can experience the history, culture and nature of Hayashima
The "Furo no Michi" walking trail allows you to experience the history, culture, and nature of Hayashima while following the same path people walked long ago. There are four courses: Higashi, West, South, and Sightseeing. The Sightseeing Course takes you to spots where you can learn about the town's history and industry, as well as parks where seasonal flowers bloom. You can travel along Prefectural Route Kurashiki Senoo Line (Prefectural Route 152), which is said to be the site of the Ukita Levee, and visit Ryujin Shrine, the starting point of the Ukita Levee, the Togawa Family Memorial Hall, and the remains of the Togawa Family Jinya.
Based in Hayashima, Ukita Hideie promotes the charm of the region! Okayama Sengoku Project
The Okayama Sengoku Project, based in Hayashima Town , is a project that aims to promote the charm and historical culture of the region and pass them on to the next generation. In addition to events within Hayashima Town, the project regularly visits Okayama Castle and Ishiyama Park (Okayama City) to offer enjoyable experiences related to Japanese history and culture, such as samurai and ninja experiences, performances by the Okayama Omotenashi Busho-tai (Okayama Hospitality Military Team), and lectures. The Hayashima Town Tourist Center , located in front of Hayashima Station on the JR Seto Line, also offers workshops such as armor dressing and cardboard helmet making.
Book your Okayama Sengoku Project experience online
[Okayama Sengoku Project/ Okayama Hospitality Warriors Team]
TEL: 090-7544-5828 (10:00-21:00)
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