Beer Shop, Myadzu, c. 1910.

Beer shop, Myadzu, c. 1920, depicting a handwritten sign in English advertising cider and Asahi beer (and Morinaga chocolate), and a Union Jack draped over the shop entrance. An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Miyazu as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom. Reflecting its early status as a Meiji-era “treaty port,” Miyazu still catered to foreign tastes a few decades after its opening. Also located in Miyazu City is Ama-no-Hashidate (‘Bridge to Heaven’) said to be one of Japan’s three most beautiful sights.

“Myadzu [contemporary romaji: Miyazu] is a harbour well-sheltered and by its size calculated to afford good and secure anchorage for a large number of ships, either foreign or native. By a chart of the harbour and anchorages published by the Admiralty in March 1870, Myadzu harbour would appeal to offer great advantages as a foreign port, although second in importance to its neighbour of Tsuruga. It is open from the northeast but a bend in its southeastern shore would protect the shipping from all gales. The soundings show an average of seven fathoms near to the shore, ten and nine in the centre – the depth within a cable’s length of the land being on an average of two to three fathoms.

“Considerable trade is carried on at this port which is the residence of the ex-daimio Matsdaika Iyo no kami. The chart also points out a whole fishery at the mouth of the bay which thus from all its surroundings would seem to offer great facilities for a foreign port. It should also be mentioned that a river, apparently of some size, runs through the town of Miyadzu and we may also remark that the entrance to the harbour is laid down as being from thirteen to fifteen fathoms in depth.”

– The Japan Daily Mail, Feb. 15, 1873