The changes in fishing villages are discussed taking Fujitsuka-hama as an exmaple. 1) Until about 1930, Fujitsuka-hama was a purely fishing village. All the working members of the families were engaged in fishery, and the women worked as fish peddlers, called isaba.
2) Since the early 1930s, the fishery in the village has declined rapidly due to the decrease of catch. As a result, the men were compelled to emigrate as fishery laborers employed by large companies. The women remained in the village keeping their job as isaba, but this also is organized as retailers under wholesale dealers.
3) Some of the villagers purchased farm land in other villages with the money saved from the income by fishery. This resulted in the growth of a class distinction (oyake and koyake), which is usually found in farm villages.
4) In accordance with the development of capitalistic economy, Fujitsuka-hama also is undergoing a change-more and more people leave the village for good to work in modern industrial cities instead of the temporary migration as the fishermen of seasonal employment. Fujitsuka-hama has lost its character as fishing village and changed into a labor supply area for industrial cities. For instance, the fish peddlers also tend to emigrate as workers in neighboring towns and cities.
5) The traditional concept of a “family” which has long been untouched in the villagers' life is also undergoing a change.
View full abstract