Mitarai

Mitarai, is a port town located at the eastern end of Ōsaki-Shimojima on the Tobishima Kaidō. Its name means “hand washing” (and by extension, also “toilet”!). There are several legends about famous dignitaries washing their hands here, followed by something good happening. These legends are associated with wells located in shrines or temples built to celebrate the happy outcomes.

In the Edo period, Mitarai developed as a port of call for kitamaebune, ships bound for northern Japan from Ōsaka. Wealthy merchants emerged, and Mitarai became a centre of culture. There were also hundreds of prostitutes in Mitarai at its peak, and they were treated with respect due to their important as economic agents. Today, the town is a quiet backwater, but there are many fascinating traces of its flourishing past.

Information

Name in Japanese: 御手洗
Pronunciation: mi-ta-rai
Address: Yutakamachimitarai, Kure, Hiroshima 734-0302, Japan