Kesennuma Port and the scene of kazemachi

During the Edo period, gold mining became established as a livelihood for the people of this region. Although it was flourishing, the more widespread it became the more difficult it was to secure stable gold output over a long period of time, which became a major burden on the region. In Kesennuma, gold mining continued while at the same time nascent industries such as bonito fishing were also being introduced. Eventually, Kesennuma Port developed into a kazemachi port, where sailing ships waited for a favorable wind. Many ships jostled together here to set sail. In Kesennuma, it is said to be a port that miners developed and supported. Kesennuma Port and the sight of ships waiting for the wind there symbolizes a chapter of history in which gold mining was incorporated into Michinoku’s landscape and drove the development of the port.