In the Tenpo era, when Miyake-jima Island was struck by famine and was in a crisis, 'nagare-kujira' arrived in 1832 and was sold to the people after inspection by the authorities, and the whale was divided among the five villages, saving the villages from famine.
天保年間、三宅島は飢饉に見舞われており危機に瀕していたところ、1832年（天保3年）に「流れ鯨」が到来し役所の検分の後払い下げられ、五ヶ村に鯨が分けられ飢餓から救われた。