Taiji, Wakayama
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama
, Japan
.
As of 1 January 2011, the town has an estimated population
of 3,225 and a population density
of 541 persons per km². The total area is 5.96 km². Taiji is the smallest local government by area in Wakayama Prefecture because, unlike others, it has not experienced a merger since 1889 when the village of Moriura merged into Taiji. Taiji shares its entire overland border with the town of Nachikatsuura
and faces the Pacific Ocean
. Taiji has been well known as a whaling town and is considered as the birth place of Japan's modern whaling method. Taiji's annual dolphin hunt
is the subject of continued pressure by protest groups.
s remains a major source of income for its residents to this day. Wada Chūbei organized the group hunting system (刺手組) and introduced new handheld harpoon in 1606. Wada Kakuemon, later known as Taiji Kakuemon, invented the whaling net technique called Amitori hō (網取法) to increase the safety and efficiency of whaling. This method lasted more than 200 years.
The town was dealt a massive blow in 1878 when a large group of fishermen endeavored to kill a whale. The sheer strength of the whale pulled many of the fishermen out to sea. Refusing to cut loose the whale until it was too late, many fishermen were lost or drowned at sea as result. Around a hundred fishermen died during this episode. Taiji's whaling industry became buoyant again after the Russo-Japanese War
as it became a base for modern whaling. When the Antarctic whaling started, Taiji provided crews for the whaling fleet. In 1988, Taiji suspended their commercial whaling as a result of a ruling by the International Whaling Commission
(IWC).
The town continues to hunt small whales, such as melon-headed
and pilot whales, as well as dolphins; commercial activities which are not regulated by the IWC. Whalers from Taiji also participate in the annual hunt for minke whale
s, which is sanctioned under IWC regulations for scientific purposes. According to the Fisheries Research Agency, 1,623 dolphins were caught in Wakayama Prefecture; this figure represents about 13% of the total national dolphin catch for that year. In 2008, 1,484 dolphins and whales were caught. In 2009, 2,317 dolphins and whales were caught, just under the town's self-imposed quota of 2,400.
The town's annual dolphin drive hunt
was featured in the 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove. Some people who appeared in the film, including Taiji assemblyman Hisato Ryono, have stated that the documentary's producers lied to them about the film's intended content. Since the film's release, more activists than before, many from outside Japan, have gone to Taiji to observe or protest the annual dolphin slaughter, which usually begins in September. As a result, in July 2011, the town announced it was reinforcing its police presence at the cove where the killings take place by operating a 24-hour, 10-man kōban
in order to prevent confrontations between activists and locals.
s (hot springs) in the town.
runs through Taiji. Taiji Station is the only station in the town and is located just outside the Moriura area. A circular bus line connects the station with the tourist areas and the town hall. All Local trains and some Express trains stop at Taiji Station.
by the National Institute for Minamata Disease
(NIMD). The average amount of methyl mercury found in the hair samples was 11.0 parts per million for men and 6.63 ppm for women, compared with an average of 2.47 ppm for men and 1.64 ppm for women in tests conducted in 14 other locations in Japan. From the total population, 182 Taiji residents who were found with extremely high mercury levels underwent further medical testing to check for symptoms of mercury poisoning. None of the Taiji residents displayed any of the traditional symptoms of mercury poisoning, according to the Institute. However, the Japan Times reported that the mortality rate for Taiji and nearby Kozagawa, where dolphin meat is also consumed, is over 50% higher in comparison to fourteen similarly sized villages in other regions of Japan, though it contains some notable errors and is not verifiable from the statistics published by other government agencies.
The chief of the NIMD, Kōji Okamoto, said, "We presume that the high mercury concentrations are due to the intake of dolphin and whale meat
. There were not any particular cases of damaged health, but seeing as how there were some especially high concentration levels found, we would like to continue conducting surveys here."
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama
Higashimuro District, Wakayama
Higashimuro is a district located in Wakayama, Japan. As of September 1, 2008, the district has an estimated Population of 43,306 and a Density of 64.8 persons/km²...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of 1 January 2011, the town has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 3,225 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 541 persons per km². The total area is 5.96 km². Taiji is the smallest local government by area in Wakayama Prefecture because, unlike others, it has not experienced a merger since 1889 when the village of Moriura merged into Taiji. Taiji shares its entire overland border with the town of Nachikatsuura
Nachikatsuura, Wakayama
is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 18,795 and a density of 102.45 persons per km². The total area is 183.45 km²....
and faces the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Taiji has been well known as a whaling town and is considered as the birth place of Japan's modern whaling method. Taiji's annual dolphin hunt
Taiji dolphin drive hunt
The dolphin drive hunt in Taiji, Japan, takes place every year from September to April.According to the Japanese Fisheries Research Agency, 1,623 dolphins were caught in Wakayama Prefecture in 2007 for human consumption or resale to dolphinariums, and most of these were caught at Taiji.The annual...
is the subject of continued pressure by protest groups.
History
Taiji has been primarily known as a whaling town. Japanese traditional whaling techniques were dramatically developed here in the 17th century, and the commercial hunting of dolphinDolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s remains a major source of income for its residents to this day. Wada Chūbei organized the group hunting system (刺手組) and introduced new handheld harpoon in 1606. Wada Kakuemon, later known as Taiji Kakuemon, invented the whaling net technique called Amitori hō (網取法) to increase the safety and efficiency of whaling. This method lasted more than 200 years.
The town was dealt a massive blow in 1878 when a large group of fishermen endeavored to kill a whale. The sheer strength of the whale pulled many of the fishermen out to sea. Refusing to cut loose the whale until it was too late, many fishermen were lost or drowned at sea as result. Around a hundred fishermen died during this episode. Taiji's whaling industry became buoyant again after the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
as it became a base for modern whaling. When the Antarctic whaling started, Taiji provided crews for the whaling fleet. In 1988, Taiji suspended their commercial whaling as a result of a ruling by the International Whaling Commission
International Whaling Commission
The International Whaling Commission is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling , which was signed in Washington, D.C...
(IWC).
The town continues to hunt small whales, such as melon-headed
Melon-headed Whale
The melon-headed whale is a cetacean of the oceanic dolphin family . It is closely related to the pygmy killer whale and pilot whale, and collectively these dolphin species are known by the common name blackfish. It is also related to the false killer whale...
and pilot whales, as well as dolphins; commercial activities which are not regulated by the IWC. Whalers from Taiji also participate in the annual hunt for minke whale
Minke Whale
Minke whale , or lesser rorqual, is a name given to two species of marine mammal belonging to a clade within the suborder of baleen whales. The minke whale was given its official designation by Lacepède in 1804, who described a dwarf form of Balænoptera acuto-rostrata...
s, which is sanctioned under IWC regulations for scientific purposes. According to the Fisheries Research Agency, 1,623 dolphins were caught in Wakayama Prefecture; this figure represents about 13% of the total national dolphin catch for that year. In 2008, 1,484 dolphins and whales were caught. In 2009, 2,317 dolphins and whales were caught, just under the town's self-imposed quota of 2,400.
The town's annual dolphin drive hunt
Taiji dolphin drive hunt
The dolphin drive hunt in Taiji, Japan, takes place every year from September to April.According to the Japanese Fisheries Research Agency, 1,623 dolphins were caught in Wakayama Prefecture in 2007 for human consumption or resale to dolphinariums, and most of these were caught at Taiji.The annual...
was featured in the 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary The Cove. Some people who appeared in the film, including Taiji assemblyman Hisato Ryono, have stated that the documentary's producers lied to them about the film's intended content. Since the film's release, more activists than before, many from outside Japan, have gone to Taiji to observe or protest the annual dolphin slaughter, which usually begins in September. As a result, in July 2011, the town announced it was reinforcing its police presence at the cove where the killings take place by operating a 24-hour, 10-man kōban
Koban
Koban may refer to:, Japanese neighborhood police substation, sometimes called a "police box", a former Japanese oval gold coin* Koban culture, a Central North Caucasian culture circa 1100 to 400 BC...
in order to prevent confrontations between activists and locals.
Museums
- Taiji Whale Museum opened in 1969. It exhibits more than 1,000 items related to whales and whaling, including skeletal displays of several whale species.
- Hiromitsu Ochiai Baseball Museum commemorates Japanese baseball player Hiromitsu OchiaiHiromitsu OchiaiHiromitsu Ochiai is a former Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently manager of the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball...
who won the triple crownTriple crown (baseball)In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
three times in the Japanese Baseball LeagueJapanese Baseball LeagueFor the current Japanese Professional League, see Nippon Professional Baseball. was a professional baseball league in Japan.It was established on February 5, 1936 as "Japan Occupational Baseball League". Then it was renamed "Japanese Baseball League" in 1939. It was run until 1949. There was no...
. - Ishigaki Museum commemorates painter Eitaro Ishigaki who hailed from Taiji. His wife Ayako founded the museum in 1991.
Onsens (hot springs)
There are two small-scale onsenOnsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
s (hot springs) in the town.
- Taiji Onsen
- Natsusa (or Nassa) Onsen
Festivals
Taiji's summer festival is called the Taiji Isana Festival that is held annually on August 14. Isana is an old Japanese word for whales. Its autumn festival is called the Taiji Kujira Festival (kujira means whales in Japanese) that is annually held on the first Sunday of November. Both the festivals are heavily whale-themed and the attractions include the Kujira Odori (lit. whale dance) and the Kujira Daiko (lit. whale drumming). The Kujira Odori is a traditional dance that whalers used to perform to celebrate a good catch. This dance is unique in that the dancers only use their upper body as they dance sitting on whaling boats. It is identified as intangible cultural heritage by Wakayama Prefecture. The Kujira Daiko is also traditional and it describes a battle between a big whale and small whaling boats by drumming.Railway
The Kisei Main Line of JR WestWest Japan Railway Company
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka.-History:...
runs through Taiji. Taiji Station is the only station in the town and is located just outside the Moriura area. A circular bus line connects the station with the tourist areas and the town hall. All Local trains and some Express trains stop at Taiji Station.
Roads
The main roads that run through Taiji are as follows.- National highwayNational highways of JapanJapan has a nationwide system of distinct from the expressways. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other government agencies administer the national highways. Beginning in 1952, Japan classified these as Class 1 or Class 2. Class 1 highways had one- or two-digit numbers, while...
route 42 - Wakayama prefectural roadPrefectural roadA in Japan is a road numbered by the prefecture, independent of other prefectures.- See also:* National highways of Japan* Expressways of Japan*...
route 289 - Wakayama prefectural road route 240
Education
- Taiji has one Elementary school (Taiji Elementary School) and one junior high school (Taiji Junior High School). There is no high school or university.
- In 2008 Dolphin was going to be introduced to the school lunches in Taiji, but then it was repealed because of the exposure of Mercury poisoning by Rick O'Barry and The Cove crew.
Mercury concerns
In 2010, hair samples from 1,137 Taiji residents were tested for mercuryMercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
by the National Institute for Minamata Disease
Minamata disease
', sometimes referred to as , is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. Symptoms include ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma, and death...
(NIMD). The average amount of methyl mercury found in the hair samples was 11.0 parts per million for men and 6.63 ppm for women, compared with an average of 2.47 ppm for men and 1.64 ppm for women in tests conducted in 14 other locations in Japan. From the total population, 182 Taiji residents who were found with extremely high mercury levels underwent further medical testing to check for symptoms of mercury poisoning. None of the Taiji residents displayed any of the traditional symptoms of mercury poisoning, according to the Institute. However, the Japan Times reported that the mortality rate for Taiji and nearby Kozagawa, where dolphin meat is also consumed, is over 50% higher in comparison to fourteen similarly sized villages in other regions of Japan, though it contains some notable errors and is not verifiable from the statistics published by other government agencies.
The chief of the NIMD, Kōji Okamoto, said, "We presume that the high mercury concentrations are due to the intake of dolphin and whale meat
Whale meat
Whale meat is the flesh of whales used for consumption by humans or other animals. It is prepared in various ways, and is historically part of the diet and cuisine of various communities that live near an ocean, including those of Japan, Norway, Iceland, and the Arctic...
. There were not any particular cases of damaged health, but seeing as how there were some especially high concentration levels found, we would like to continue conducting surveys here."
Sister cities
- Broome, Western AustraliaBroome, Western AustraliaBroome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
(Australia) since 1981; suspended by the Broome city council in August 2009 in protest against the annual dolphin slaughter. The decision on suspension was reversed in October 2009. Historic ties between the two towns date back to the early 1900s, when Japan became instrumental in laying the groundwork of Broome's pearling industry. - Hakuba, NaganoHakuba, Naganois a village located in Kitaazumi District, Nagano, Japan.-Town:As of 2007, the village has an estimated population of 9,246 and a density of 50.71 persons per km². The total area is 182.34 km²....
(Japan) since 1984
Notable people
- Kiwako TaichiKiwako Taichiwas a Japanese film actress. She appeared in 20 films between 1967 and 1985.-Selected filmography:* Kuroneko * Fire Festival -External links:...
(1943–1992): an actress; originally her surname is pronounced Taiji, but she decided to pronounce it Taichi as a stage name.
See also
- Dolphin drive hunting in Japan
- Dolphin meat in Japanese cuisine
- Juro OkaJuro Oka, the "Father of Japanese whaling" was one of many Japanese students sent abroad to the United States and Europe by the Meiji government to bring modern whaling techniques to Japan at the close of the 19th century...
- "Father of Japanese Whaling" - Pilot whale in Japanese cuisine
- The Taiji TwelveThe Taiji TwelveThe Taiji Twelve is a term used by anti-dolphin hunting campaigners to describe a group of dolphins captured in a dolphin drive hunt outside of the town of Taiji, Wakayama, Japan in October 2006...