A wholesale store that preserves the history of the Kitamae Ship Iwase, Toyama

  • Toyama
  • Sightseeing
Exterior view of Moriie
The Mori House is currently closed due to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024. Please check the official website of Toyama City for the reopening date.

The Kitamae Ship, a merchant ship that once connected Hokkaido and Osaka. Iwase in Toyama Prefecture was one of the ports of call for the Kitamae-bune, and the townscape that prospered through trade still remains. The houses of the Mori family, who made their fortune through trading with the Kitamae-bune, are an important place that conveys the lifestyle of that time.

The Mori Family Preserves the Kitamae-Senpaku (Kitamae Ship) Trade to the Present Day

Located on Omachi-dori Street near the Iwase Canal at Toyama Port, the Mori residence was a shipping agent of the Kitamae-bune, which was active on the Sea of Japan, and has been designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The locals called the Kitamae-bune "bai-bune" because it carried cargo both going to and returning from the port and made "bai-bai" profit. At that time, there were 2 million ryo, or 200 billion yen worth of wealth today.

The main building with magnificent wooden beams

The period from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period (1868-1912) was the peak of its prosperity, and this Mori House was built in 1878. The massive vertical latticework of the entranceway reminds one of the old days, and the landing area in the rear of the house is a garden. The main house has a stately appearance, and the wooden beams in the atrium are very impressive.
A room with a spacious tatami room

Plasterer's skill shines through in the trowel painting.

There are two storehouses in the garden of the Mori family, and the doors are painted with the family crest and dragon and tiger kote-e. The name "kote-e" refers to the reliefs made with plaster, which are finished with a trowel by a plasterer.
The door of the storehouse with Kote-e paintings.

Mori House has many points of interest.

The interior of the house is also a sight to behold, with luxurious construction using materials from all over Japan, such as Yakusugi cedar plank doors, Noto black pine balustrades, and a huge single rock from Shodoshima for the earthen floor. The director of the museum will give you a fun and easy-to-understand explanation, so you may want to learn more about Kitamae Senpaku.
Uguisu-covered corridor

Visit the Mori Family when you visit Toyama City.

The Mori family's house conveys the history of Iwase, Toyama City, which prospered through trade with the Kitamae Senpaku, or Kitamaebune, ships. The house is so beautiful that you will want to spend forever looking at it. The Mori House is accessible from Toyama Station on the Toyama Port Line, so please visit the Mori House when you come to Toyama City.
Toyama City Official Website

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