When the Mōri family constructed Hagi Castle, they understood that the domain had to be able to defend its stronghold from attack not only by land but from invasion by sea as well. The Mōri daimyo needed boats and somewhere to keep them safe.

The Former Domain Boathouse (also called the “Old Boathouse”) was built in the first few decades of the 1600s. It is a remarkable structure with imposing stone walls and thick wooden doors that would not look out of place in a fortress. The 6-meter-thick walls are built with andesite taken from Mt. Kasayama across the bay and the islands of Ōshima and Aishima.

The purlin, or roof beam, that runs the length of the boathouse is 26.9 meters long. The crossbeam that runs parallel to the entrance is 8.8 meters wide. The structure is 8.8 meters tall and is covered with a heavy tiled roof that would be equally appropriate atop a feudal castle. The doors are built of sturdy black pine.

The boathouse’s doors once opened into the sea, but the area around it was reclaimed, and it now stands in the midst of a quiet residential neighborhood. The acoustics of the cavernous space are excellent, and the building is occasionally used to host concerts. The Former Domain Boathouse has been a National Historic Site since 1936, and in 2013 it was featured in the NHK Television drama Yae’s Sakura.

(This English-language text was created by the Japan Tourism Agency. )