Morimachi Float: Kawaramachi, Enkaisha

The Ota River was full of water until the early Meiji period, and boats loaded with cargo traveled back and forth to Fukuda Port. As the float of a town that developed along the river, it is said to have been named by likening the river to the sea. Because it was the smallest neighborhood, the major overhaul carried out in 1981 (Showa 56) was an extraordinary undertaking. The float, revived through the pride and solidarity of the townspeople, has been protected and handed down with deep affection and careful attention ever since. • The current float is the second generation. The first was built in 1886 (Meiji 19) for 10 yen 50 sen 5 rin Builder: Torataro Ota, Ryohei Ota, Tokutaro Ota and others (Kawaramachi); renovation by Shohei Yamamoto (Sakae-cho) Carving: Risaburo Hayase (first-generation Asaun, then living in Kakegawa); shirin (during renovation): Takashi Shimura (second-generation Ryucho, Mikuni, Fukui), Ryosaku Nakayama (Kawaramachi) Painting: Sadasuke Muramatsu (Kawaramachi) Wheels: Kenjiro Morita (Kawaramachi)