About the Hacchoro: Tokugawa Ieyasu's High-Speed Escort Ship
As an island nation surrounded by the sea, Japan naturally developed a robust maritime transport system. The structure of traditional Japanese ships, collectively known as wasen, is entirely different from Western vessels. They feature a unique design constructed by joining side and floor planks that span nearly the full length of the hull.
During the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who resided in Sunpu Castle, often traveled by boat from Yaizu Beach to Kuno Beach for falconry. On these journeys, 24 fishing boats owned by local fishermen were tasked with escorting him. However, because these boats had too few ro (traditional Japanese sculling oars), they struggled to keep pace with Ieyasu’s faster vessel.
Seeing this, one of the fishermen appealed directly to Ieyasu, stating, "The only way to make our ships go any faster is to use the prohibited hacchoro (a boat equipped with eight oars)." Recognizing the necessity, Ieyasu granted exclusive permission to use the hacchoro in this specific region—making it the only exception in the entire country.
