The Murakami Pirates and Oyamazumi Shrine

Last time, I talked about how Saneyuki Akiyama got the idea for the crossing-the-T tactic in the Battle of Tsushima from the Murakami Pirates. Who exactly were these Murakami Pirates?

This time, I will introduce the Murakami Pirates and the Oyamazumi Shrine that they worshipped.

Pirates or Naval Forces?
In 1586, the Portuguese missionary Luís Fróis(Note 1), who had come to Japan for missionary work, called them the "greatest pirates in Japan" when he visited the Seto Inland Sea.

(Note 1) A priest belonging to the Jesuit order of the Catholic Church who engaged in missionary work during the Sengoku period with permission from Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

However, the Murakami Pirates had many faces (described later). In reality, they were not Pirates who engaged in disorderly looting on the sea, but were Naval Forces that were controlled based on rules and sometimes served feudal lords (Note: Hereinafter referred to as the "Murakami Pirates" in this article).

The Geiyo Islands, their base of operations
The large and small islands scattered between Hiroshima (Aki) and Ehime (Iyo) are called the Geiyo Islands.

This sea area has long been known for its fast tidal currents(Note 2), and navigating these waters safely requires knowledge and skills backed by experience.

(Note 2) In the Seto Inland Sea, surrounded by islands, the tidal range reaches 3m at Awaji Island in the east and 4m in the Geiyo Islands in the west. This height difference creates tidal currents that occur four times a day (two round trips), reaching 10 knots in the fastest places.

Characteristics of the Seto Inland SeaThe Murakami Pirates were the ones who understood these characteristics and were the first to notice the strategic value of the Geiyo Islands, which are located in the most difficult places to navigate, and developed them as their base.

The Rise of the Murakami Pirates
The Murakami Pirates appeared in history during the mid-Heian period, when the Seto Inland Sea became the main artery for economy and transportation in western Japan. Their existence was confirmed in the Fujiwara no Sumitomo Rebellion (Note 3), and the Genpei War of 1180.

(Note 3) Fujiwara no Sumitomo, the governor of Iyo Province, led pirates to revolt against the Imperial Court, but 300 ships led by Kono Yoshikata, who intercepted them, defeated the Sumitomo army with the guidance of the Murakami Pirates.

The Three Major Bases of the Murakami Pirates
Around 1419 in the Muromachi period, the Murakami Pirates split into three families, basing themselves in Innoshima, Noshima, and Kurushima, respectively.

The Six Faces at Their Peak
1. Pilots
They used their knowledge and skills to safely guide ships through these waters.

2. Maritime Guards
When necessary, they guarded passing ships to ensure they were not attacked by other pirate groups (for this reason, they were also called kegoshu).

In return for piloting and guarding, they collected a fee called hobechi-sen (approximately 10% of the cargo).

3. Mercenaries
If requested by a daimyo, they would sign a contract and join in battles. However, the Murakami Pirates rarely served as vassals to any specific daimyo, preferring to respond flexibly to the situation at the time.

4. Merchants
The Murakami Pirates' bases also functioned as logistics hubs for the temporary storage of Chinese ceramics and domestic pottery.

5. Fishermen
They were also fishermen who handled fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea(Note 4). Sometimes, they would send fresh seafood to daimyo as year-end gifts.

(Note 4) A local dish called "Suigun-nabe" (Navy Hot Pot), which makes generous use of seafood, has been passed down to the present day.

6. Cultured Individuals
At times, they revealed a side that elegantly enjoyed incense, tea, and renga (linked verse). The renga dedicated to Oyamazumi Shrine offers a glimpse into their high level of education and cultural sophistication.

The Peak of the Murakami Pirates
The Murakami clan reached its peak during the era of Murakami Takeyoshi.

In the 1555 Battle of Itsukushima, they led a fleet of approximately 200 ships to reinforce the navy of Mori Motonari, contributing to the defeat of Sue Harukata (for details, see the previous work "Akiyama Saneyuki and the Qualities of a Great Staff Officer").

Murakami Takeyoshi is also famous from Ryo Wada's "Murakami Kaizoku no Musume" (The Murakami Pirate's Daughter).

Takeyoshi married the daughter of Murakami Michiyasu of Kurushima and collaborated with the Shiwaku Navy, and his influence seems to have extended as far as northern Kyushu.

The photo is a model of an O-atakebune / Large Atakebune that the Murakami Pirates possessed at the time. Weighing 200 tons, with a total length of 26 meters and a capacity of 170 people, it is clear that this was a significantly large ship for that era.

The Decline of the Murakami Pirates
In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi issued the "Sword Hunt" and simultaneously the "Pirate Prohibition Edict", forcing the pirate groups to either become vassals or retainers of the Toyotomi daimyo, or to abandon their arms and become farmers.

And so, the Japanese pirate groups, including the Murakami Pirates, gradually disappeared from the scene.

Oyamazumi Shrine
Japan's General Guardian (the tutelary deity of all of Japan). Omishima, where Oyamazumi Shrine (Oyamazumi-jinja) is located, has been known since ancient times as "Omishima," the island of the gods.

It is said that this shrine began when Ochi-no-Mikoto designated this as "the land of the gods" before Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition.

The enshrined deity is Oyamazumi-no-Kami(Note 5), who has been deeply worshipped since ancient times as a god protecting maritime safety. From the pirate clans, including the Murakami family, and naval and maritime personnel of the past, to members of the modern Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Coast Guard, people have visited here to pray for safety at sea and success in battle.

(Note 5) The older brother of Amaterasu Omikami. He is also the father of Konohanasakuya-hime, the wife of Ninigi-no-Mikoto, who descended from heaven.

Adjacent to the shrine on its vast grounds are the National Treasure Hall, which houses 80% of the arms and armor designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, and the Maritime Museum.

The Maritime Museum displays the "Hayamamaru", which was used for marine biology research by Emperor Showa, who was also a biologist, along with specimens of various organisms.

The Hayamamaru was built at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in 1934 as Emperor Showa's "collection vessel." For a time, Emperor Showa actually used this ship for collecting specimens.

History of the "Hayamamaru"
1936: Commenced operation as a collection vessel
1944: Transferred to the Etajima Naval Academy as a training ship
1945: Custody entrusted to Oyamazumi Shrine
1946: Requisitioned by the Australian military
1949: Transferred to the Maritime Safety Agency
1956: Completed its mission as a collection vessel
1967: Stored at Oyamazumi Shrine
1976: Removed from the Maritime Safety Agency ship registry

Kamiseki Castle Ruins (currently Shiroyama Historical Park)
The Murakami pirates also had a base in Kamiseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which has recently been in the news regarding an "intermediate storage facility" for nuclear waste.

The location where they built their castle was the perfect spot for monitoring the Kamiseki Strait, which served as the western end of maritime traffic in the Seto Inland Sea. In that sense, I thought, they had a keen instinct for controlling "maritime checkpoints."

In 1551, Sue Harukata's fleet ignored their rules and forced their way through Kamiseki, but they sent a fast ship to contact their main base in the Geiyo Islands and intercepted the fleet in the Seto of Aki-Kamagari.

Bonus
In that Aki-Kamagari area, there is now the "Akinada Tobishima Kaido", which connects the islands stretching from the Kure area to the Omishima area with multiple bridges.

It is a scenic driving spot with historical buildings and is something of a hidden gem.

Now, for our usual gourmet introduction: the islands of the Seto Inland Sea have an abundance of meals and desserts that use citrus ingredients.

The refreshing flavor is just right, and you never get tired of eating it! 😋

Conclusion
From the 1609 "Prohibition on Building Large Ships" by the Edo Shogunate, followed by the revised "Large Ship Construction Prohibition Edict" in 1635, until the lifting of said prohibition following Perry's arrival in 1853, Japan experienced a vacuum in naval power that lasted for over 200 years.

For this reason, Katsu Kaishu, the Commissioner of Warships at the end of the Edo period, attempted to recover those lost two hundred and some years by doing things such as having several descendants of the Shiwaku Navy, with whom Murakami Takeyoshi had collaborated, board the Kanrin Maru.
Furthermore, just as Saneyuki Akiyama drew hints for tactics and strategies from the Murakami Pirates,
the Murakami Pirates' shipbuilding techniques, ship handling skills, naval combat arts, and naval personnel management techniques naturally became subjects of investigation and research by the subsequent Imperial Japanese Navy. In that sense, it may not be an exaggeration to say that

a part of Japan's modern naval power has its roots in the Murakami Pirates. Recently, as a small part of this, I was able to visit the island of the gods that dates back to the genesis of Japan, face Oyamazumi-no-Okami, the Great Protector of Japan, and pray for eternal military fortune (in other words, the lasting peace and prosperity of Japan).
And through this journey, I feel that I was able to

feel a connection to the eternal history
, and reaffirm the beauty of this country of Japan that must be protected, my pride as a Japanese person, and the mission that the navy should shoulder. 🍀