小笠原忠政は築城と同時に港を整備しました。砂を浚え、石垣を積んで港を築いたようです。港の東側は堀川(内川)と呼ばれ、今の公会堂までありました。その砂を積み上げたのが中崎で後に水主組組屋敷や船宮が設けられました。
46.Higashi Chikko port
Ogasawara Tadamasa, the first feudal lord of the Akashi domain, built Akashi Castle and
improved the port at the same time. It is said that he dredged a port and built stone retaining wall to construct the port. The canal called Horikawa was made from the east of the port to the place of Nakasaki Auditorium. In those days Nakasaki was made of sand from the port and they built sailors’ housing and anchorage afterward.
明石ヘリテージマップ『人丸』2018