Japan HeritageHyakusei no Ando
A town that remembers its past and is imbued with culture
Town that keeps on the thought of “Hyakusei-no-ando”,
Hirogawa Town
“Hyakusei-no-ando”, the disaster prevention heritage of Hirogawa Town in Wakayama Prefecture was certified as a Japanese heritage in May 2018. “Hyakusei-no-ando” was named from the word “aiming the relief of the residents and peasants by building the embankment” given by Hamaguchi Goryo who saved a lot of people from the tsunami disaster in 1854. The story of Goryo was announced later to the world as “A Living God” by a great writer, Koizumi Yakumo, and it is also posted in the textbook of primary school entitled “Inamura-no-Hi”. On 5 November when Ansei’s tsunami occurred, it was decided as “World tsunami awareness day” by the United Nations.
GORYO STORYIt cannot be removed when walking around Hirogawa Town Who is “Hamaguchi Goryo”
1851
32years
old
Founded “Hiromura Sugidan” for national defense.
1854
35years
old
“Inamura-no-Hi” Saved a lot of people. In 1854, the late Edo period, the next day after the Tokai Earthquake occurred, the tsunami caused by the Nankai Earthquake hit Hiromura village (current Hirogawa Town). In this situation, Hamaguchi Goryo set fire to rice sheaves, and made it a landmark to go up to the hill because he believed that some people do not know the way of escape in the darkness.
1858
39years
old
Sent Seki Kansai to Edo and promoted cholera prevention. He made Seki Kansai, who was a doctor of western learning, learn cholera epidemic prevention method and stopped the epidemic to the minimum.
1859
40years
old
Contributed to the reconstruction of later the medical school of Tokyo University He donated the reconstruction fee when the vaccination center in Tokyo (later the medical school of Tokyo University) was destroyed by fire.
1866
47years
old
Established “Taikyu-sha” He made efforts to develop human resources and established a private school. When rebuilding from the tsunami, it was named “Taikyu-sha” in hopes of permanence.
1869
50years
old
Established western school “Kyoritsu-Gakusha” He felt the need to study Western cultures. He invited Mr. Matsuyama Toan, who studied under Fukuzawa Yukichi and others and established “Kyoritsu-Gakusha”. He also focused on English education.
1871
52years
old
Built the foundation of the postal system He was appointed as an Ekitei-no-Kami (later Minister of Posts and Telecommunications) by Okubo Toshimichi and exerted himself to establish the basis of a modern postal system.
1879
60years
old
Elected the first chairman of the Wakayama Prefectural Council Although he didn’t want to enter the office, he was besought by the surroundings and took office. He wonderfully organized Congress.
1885
66years
old
Visited the Western countries as a long time wish, but died of illness in New York
Hamaguchi Goryo[1820-1885]
Hamaguchi Goryo was born in a branch of breweries of soy sauce in Hiromura village (current Hirogawa Town) in 1820. When he was 12 years old, he was adopted into the Hiroya Gihe Shoten (current Yamasa Soy Sauce) which had the head family in Choshi. He inherited the family business and became Heibe in the 7th generation. The name of “Goryo” is the pseudonym he named since the age of 51, when he succeeded the head of the family to Gihe in the 8th generation.
Actually, he also had a side that is naughty
In a cold winter day, Goryo invited young people in the village to dinner. When everyone was pleased gladly, they were passed through a room without sliding screens and cold wind blew into. He served cold noodles with ice. Goryo slurped noodles with a straight face. This kind of astonishment seems to have been a factor to be loved by a lot of people.
COURSESSightseeing Model courses in Hirogawa Town
Introduce the course approaching the charm of Hirogawa Town
ATTRACTION Attraction of Hirogawa Town
Check and share
the current Hirogawa Town
Let’s post sightseeing photos and videos in Hirogawa Town on Instagram with hashtag “#inamura_fire” and share the attractions of Hirogawa Town with the visitor who is coming sightseeing in the future!
MOVIE
Introduction promotion movie “Hyakusei-no-ando”