History of Sagiura
People have resided in Sagiura since ancient times. The earliest reference to Sagiura appears in the 733 compilation of regional lore known as the Izumo fudoki, in which the district is referred to as “Sagihama.” Worship at Inasehagi-jinja Shrine is mentioned in the Nihon shoki, a collection of Japan’s earliest myths set down in 720.
By the middle years of the Edo period (1603–1867), merchant vessels from Kyoto and Osaka regularly traveled the Sea of Japan. Thanks to its fine harbor, Sagiura thrived, offering trade, lodgings, and safe anchorage to ships and their crews awaiting favorable winds. Local wholesalers also managed cargo shipments from distant parts of the country.
During the Meiji (1868–1912) and Taishō (1912–1926) eras, Sagiura remained a regular port-of-call for Osaka merchant vessels. Copper mining, spurred by rapid modernization and the demand for natural resources, brought additional industry to the area.
By the late 1920s, however, the closure of the mines and the arrival of a national railway line that vastly reduced sea traffic spelled the end of Sagiura’s commercial boom. Today, fishing has replaced shipping as the primary industry.