Uwajima—Feels Like Home

Can you imagine a bullfight without a matador?

Uwajima is unlike any city we have visited so far. This area is known for bullfighting. The sport carried out here in Uwajima is unlike the Spanish version. Here there is no is no matador, just two bulls in an arena fighting each other until one’s knees touch the ground.

That’s not the only thing this city is noted for. The other thing that ancient Uwajima is known for is piracy. The many coves, nooks, and crannies around the seashore gave pirates a good place to hide.

But the city has settled down since those wild and woolly days. It’s good being in a small town the size of Asheboro. It’s only about a five minute bus ride between each of the places we visited in Uwajima rather than an hour.

First we visited Uwajima castle. The castle is very similar in appearance and construction to the ones we have seen previously, however, it was smaller. It was not only a watchtower, it was also a residence for the nobility. The fortress stands 2800 feet above sea level, and the climb up to it was demanding.

Next we went to a beautiful garden which was a favorite of Emperor Hirohito. He visited these gardens often and made the simple traditional tea house his residence while here.

Finally we spent time seeing the museum centering around the Date (pronounced DAH-tay) family, who were the hereditary rulers here at the end of the Shogunate period in the mid-nineteenth century.

One claim to fame the city still has that goes back to ancient times is its thriving pearl industry. Oyster beds dot the shoreline, producing the best cultured pearls in the world.

Uwajima feels like home. It is about the same size as Asheboro, and its economy is fueled mainly by agriculture. The climate feels like that of our home on a rainy day, and walking around the pond in a beautiful Japanese garden, I even saw a few mosquitoes I recognized.

Uwajima is neither large, showy, nor expensive. The museum’s exhibits all focus around the last wealthy family to own the town in the period of the Shogunate. None of the buildings are grand or trendy. Everything has a comfortable patina of age. Of course, the town did have to construct a new building for the museum a few years ago when the old one collapsed.

Like some of the other cities we have visited, Uwajima has never had a cruise ship in its relatively shallow harbor. The Eclipse II is the first. Unlike larger vessels, our comparatively small yacht can safely navigate these waters and go where other ships cannot.

As we came into port four or five fishing boats with crew members waving flags welcomed us. And as we left, a number of residents drove to the seashore and wished us bon voyage by waving flags. The practice of waving good bye has become a traditional ceremony in Japan. Waving is really a big deal here. We have seen whole buildings full of office workers turn out to play music over loudspeakers and wave us out of the harbor. It is a charming custom. These dear people have a way of working their way into your heart. So far, no Japanese person I have seen has been rude or unkind. They are elegantly polite. I love these folks.

Uwajima is…comfortable. I like it here.Meer informatie