Tsukuribata Banyagun (Tsukuribata Fishing Huts)

Overview

The Tsukuribata Banyagun is a group of buildings located in Tanohata Village, Shimohei District, Iwate Prefecture. It originally consisted of 25 structures. Built after the 1933 Sanriku tsunami, these banya served as shelters for fishermen managing fishing grounds. In the past, herring fishing thrived in the area. On the west coast of Hokkaido, large houses accommodating fishing boats and numerous fishermen were called "Nishin-banya" (herring storehouses/mansions). Later, the construction of roads connecting the port and the village, along with the flourishing of aquaculture, gradually diminished the function of the banya as storehouses. Furthermore, a shortage of successors in the fishing industry led to the abandonment and deterioration of many banya. However, growing preservation and inheritance activities led to its selection in February 2006 by the Fisheries Agency as one of the "100 Historical Cultural Properties of Fishing Villages and Fisheries that We Want to Leave to the Future," making it a center for preserving fishing and fishing village culture. However, the Great East Japan Earthquake tsunami of 2011 destroyed all the structures. With support from across the nation, the "Tsukuribata Banyagun Regeneration Project" was launched, and restoration work was carried out using national reconstruction grants (¥256 million), culminating in the completion of 24 structures in December 2014. Today, visitors can participate in banya cooking experiences, salt-making workshops, and "Zappa-funa" (traditional boat) tours. The Tsukuribata Banyagun is a valuable historical site preserving the history and culture of fishing, and simultaneously serves as a symbol of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Visitors can feel the vibrancy of the former fishing village and the indomitable spirit of its people.