Sado Island Photos: Taraibune

Photos (video here and here) from a recent trip to Sado Island. Taraibue, or tub boats, were traditionally used to fish for shellfish in the shallow waters off Ogi and Shukunegi. My taraibune captain narrated the history of Shukunegi, hamlet and harbor, explaining that a powerful earthquake some 200 years ago caused uplift of 2 meters, curtailing the use of the latter by trading vessels- called kitamaebune (北前船)- sailing between Hokkaido and Osaka. Neighboring Ogi, with its deeper harbor, was able to accomodate the ships, while Shukunegi retained its status as home to maritime aristocracy: shipwrights, carpenters, and captains. Incidentally, the steerer of the taraibune built the boat himself and even paddled it once the 70-odd kilometers to the mainland.