If the sea was a highway, who built the ships that traveled along it?

Countless vessels have crossed the Seto Inland Sea over the centuries—carrying stone, salt, soy sauce, and people. But it was in modern times that Aioi became known throughout Japan as a center of shipbuilding.

Aioi Bay is a calm inlet that reaches deep into the coastline. Sheltered from the waves of the open sea, it has long provided a natural harbor for ships.

During the Meiji Period, a dock was built here to repair vessels. In time, it developed into the Harima Shipyard. Its first vessel was the Kaminoura Maru, a small wooden ship. From this modest beginning, Aioi grew into one of Japan’s leading shipbuilding centers, producing increasingly large vessels.

Launching a newly completed ship was a major occasion. Crowds gathered along the waterfront to watch as the enormous vessel entered the sea for the first time.

For centuries, ships had carried people, goods, and culture across these waters. In modern times, Aioi became one of the places where those ships themselves were built.

The Aioi Peron Festival, held each May, also has roots in this shipbuilding history. The boat races were introduced by shipyard workers from Nagasaki and were originally held as part of the shipyard’s festivities. After the war, the wider community embraced the tradition, and today the festival is one of Aioi’s best-known events. What arrived from across the sea was more than shipbuilding expertise. New traditions came with it and became part of town life.

For communities along these shores, the sea brought people together rather than keeping them apart. It provided a route for people to meet, skills to spread, and new traditions to take root.