{"id":75479,"date":"2021-01-19T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=75479"},"modified":"2021-02-24T17:49:51","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T08:49:51","slug":"japanese-pirates-history-shimanami-kaido","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japanese-pirates-history-shimanami-kaido\/","title":{"rendered":"Pirates and Samurai Shrines: Seeking Japanese History Along the Shimanami Kaido"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Between beautiful views and fresh island produce, the Shimanami Kaido is an excellent cycling trip <\/a>full of Japanese history. From Samurai Shrines to Japanese pirates<\/strong>, the Setouchi islands it traverses offer up a wealth of legends and battlegrounds. While I cycled the 70km route, experiencing farm stays<\/strong>, lemon picking,<\/strong> and more<\/a>, it was the history of these small islands that became an unexpected highlight of my explorations. Whether it was the ancient tradition of salt-making <\/strong>or the dedicated patrols of the surrounding waters, there was a quiet history waiting to be discovered <\/strong>in each destination. As well as meeting the communities along my route, I was able to imagine their predecessors and the traditions and skills they had passed on to the generations based on the islands today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Greeted by large replica wooden boats, I am intrigued by the idea of Japanese pirates and had heard little of them, but the impressive museum was the perfect place to learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Often called the Samurai of the Sea, Japan\u2019s pirates are a legendary topic that comes alive here on the islands. Sometimes referred to as suigun<\/em> (navy) and sometimes kaizoku<\/em> (pirates), the controlling clans were a unique mixture, with the power of one and the reputation of another. While in English the term \u2018pirate\u2019 often conjures images of lawless vagabonds, the dedicated Murakami Kaizoku Museum<\/strong> on Oshima Island aims to change this perception for the Japanese counterparts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Murakami Clan, who ruled the Seto Inland Sea until the end of the Sengoku Period in the early 17th century were formed of three clans. Working harmoniously, they controlled the waters and influenced military, trade, and governmental decisions. Far from lawless, they had codes of honour and would provide flags to passing boats to showcase their permitted travels to shore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Seeing these torn flags on display alongside the carefully preserved suits of armour and life-size models, it is possible to imagine the ships setting sail to watch over the islands. An excellent audio-guide using QR codes explains the history as you explore the museum, with expansive floor maps and unending views of the sea to help you picture the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMurakami Kaizoku Museum: Setouchi Islands\u2019 History of Pirates <\/h2>\n\n\n\n