Esashi Town

• Hokkaido
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Esashi Town, in the Hiyama Sub-prefecture at the far southwestern tip of Hokkaido, is a historic port town steeped in culture. Esashi Oiwake, one of Japan's three great folk songs, is a haunting, elegiac melody performed with great virtuosity, and the Esashi Oiwake National Competition held each September draws master singers from across the country. Esashi is part of Japan Heritage 'Ikimen' — the network of Kitamaebune (merchant ship) port towns that thrived on herring trade in the Edo period. The Kaiyo Maru Memorial Museum, housing a full-scale replica of the Boshin War-era warship, adds historical drama as the setting of Hijikata Toshizo's final battles. Kamome Island juts dramatically into the sea with spectacular rock formations, cliffs, and sunsets.