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The History Tradition & Culture of Kyoto Prefecture

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The History Tradition & Culture of Kyoto Prefecture The History Tradition & Culture of Kyoto Prefecture An Introductory Guide ( revised version 2012 ) Kyoto Prefectural Education Center The History, Tradition & Culture of Kyoto Prefecture CONTENTS Preface Chapter Ⅰ Kyoto Prefecture : the History 1 What Kyoto was like before the capital of Japan was transferred to Kyoto P-1 (1) The Yodo and Yura River Systems (2) "Pre-Ancient Tomb Period" and "Ancient Tomb Period" in Yamashiro, Tamba and Tango (3) The Transfer of the Capital from Nara to Kyoto : from Heijo-kyo to Kuni-kyo, Nagaoka-kyo and Heian-kyo 2 From the Heian Period to the Edo Period P-4 (1) What Heian-kyo was like (2) The World of Bushi (samurai warriors) and the Situation of Miyako (3) The Situation of Kyoto in the Eras of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu 3 The Birth and Devlopment of Modern Kyoto P-8 (1) The Dawn of the New Age - "Kyoto Prefecture" through the Last Days of the Tokugawa Bakufu (2) From the Meiji, Taisho and Showa Eras to the Present Day Chapter Ⅱ Kyoto Prefecture : the Culture 1 Nature and Culture P-12 2 Industry, Economy and Culture P-13 (1) Agriculture (2) Forestry (3) Fishery (4) Traditional Industry (5) Tango Chirimen (Tango Silk Crepe) (6) Nishijin-ori Fabrics (7) Yuzen Dyeing (8) Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki Pottery 3 Living Style and Culture P-18 (1) Food (2) Dwellings (3) Clothes (4) Language and Literature (5) Traditional Culture, Traditional Arts and Sports (6) What lies beneath the Education in Kyoto Prefecture --- To Preserve Tradition and to Create Tradition (7) For the Bright Future of Our Children Chapter Ⅲ Kyoto Prefecture : the Districts 1 Otokuni District P-30 2 Yamashiro District P-31 3 Nantan District P-32 4 Chutan District P-34 5 Tango District P-35 Preface This booklet is an English version of "京都府の「歴史・伝統・文化」を学ぶために・ 教えるために"（平成２４年度改訂版）. Efforts were made so that the English version would convey the contents of the original version as precisely as possible. At the same time, some attempts were made to make the English version more understandable for foreigners and students who are not versed in Japanese history. Some explanatory words or phrases, which do not exist in the Japanese version, are added in parentheses so that even foreign students may easily obtain clear images of particular words or articles in the text. This book might be a bit too difficult for most high school students because the vocabulary level is pretty high owing to the nature of the content. However, even though some words used are difficult, most of the sentence structures are rather simple and readers with a basic knowledge of grammar can read on with a dictionary at hand. Teachers can have their students choose specific periods or districts according to their interest and areas of study. It is earnestly expected that from this booklet readers will come to understand a little of the history, tradition and culture of Kyoto Prefecture that we, Kyoto people, can be proud of, and that it will help to deepen exchanges with people from every corner of the world. Lastly, special thanks goes to Mr. Philip Norton, the first AET coordinator of the prefectural board of education, who provided us with many valuable suggestions and took the trouble to proofread the translation. Chapter I Kyoto Prefecture : the History 1 What Kyoto was like before the capial of Japan was transferred to Kyoto (1) The Yodo and Yura River Systems The Yodo River, which is 75 km in length and 8,240 square km in the basin area, is a first-class river. Small and large rivers, which start in the mountainous areas of Shiga Prefecture, flow into Lake Biwa and then the water runs out of the lake to the south in Otsu City. Here the river is called the Seta River and it then becomes the Uji River in Kyoto Prefecture. The Uji River meets the Katsura River and the Kizu River in the vicinity of Yawata City and from there the water runs southwestward into Osaka Bay, cutting through the Osaka Plain. Three of the old capitals of Japan, Kuni-kyo, Nagaoka-kyo and Heian-kyo, were all built along the Yodo River System, and benefitted from that location. There used to be a large marsh called the Pond of Ogura near the meeting place of the three above-mentioned rivers. The marsh occasionally flooded, so a dike was built on the left bank of the Uji River in order to prevent repeated disasters. In 1941 (16th year of Showa), it was drained on a broad scale and developed as farmland, contributing to the increase of food production after the Second World War. The Yura River, also a first-class river, starts in Mt. Mikuni-dake along the border area of Kyoto, Shiga and Fukui Prefectures, and runs through the primeval forest of Ashu, moving westward in the mountaneous area. The river then meets the Takaya River and the Kambayashi River and runs through Ayabe City, Fukuchiyama City and the border area between Maizuru City and Miyazu City, then finally flows into the Japan Sea. The river is 146 km in length and 1,880 square km in the basin area, 89% of which is mountainous with plenty of forest, including the primeval forest of Ashu. In this chapter we will explore the history of Kyoto Prefecture. (2) "Pre-Ancient Tomb Period" and "Ancient Tomb Period" in Yamashiro, Tamba and Tango The Old Stone Age Stone implements have been excavated in several areas including the Yamashiro Basin and the Otokuni Disrict. They can be traced back to the latter Old Stone Age about 30,000 years ago. The Jomon Period Tools of the Jomon Period were found in several places in Kyoto Prefecture. A small deep pot excavated in Fukuchiyama City is known as one of the oldest pieces of Jomon pottery in Kyoto Prefecture. In Amino, Kyotango City, pit dwellings and shell mounds were found at the Hamazume Ruins. In Maizuru City, many remains of hearths were found inside of the dwellings at the Kuwagaishimo Ruins. The Yayoi Period Rice planting around the Unkyu Ruins in Nagaokakyo City is believed to have been practiced in the earliest days of Kyoto Prefecture. It is one of the remains of the Yayoi Period. In the Tango District, the Ougidani Ruins and the Tochugaoka Ruins in Mineyama-cho and the Nagu Ruins in Yasaka-cho are well-known. The Ancient Tomb Period The Tsubai Otsukayama Ancient Tomb In the third century, large tombs, now known as "Ancient Tobms", began to be built. The Tsubai Otsukayama Ancient Tomb in Kizugawa City is a keyhole-shaped burial mound, 175 m long. In addition to mirrors with 32 phases called Sankakubuchi-shinjuukyou many other burial accesories were found in the tomb. From the nature of these accesories, the buried is assumed to have been a very important person who was in charge of distributing the mirrors of the Yamato court (whichi later evolved into the Imperial Family). Other large ancient tombs such as the Terado Otsuka Tomb (98 m long) and the Myokensan Tomb (114 m long) in Muko City, the Imazato Kurumazuka Tomb (75 m long), the Egenoyama Tomb (128 m long) in Nagaoka-kyo City and the Kutsukawa Kurumazuka Tomb (180 m long) in Joyo City were built during this period. Afterwards many tombs were built in various areas of the Yamashiro District, including a group of tombs which the Hata Family is assumed to have built near Sagano (Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City) where the family had a political footing. On the Tango Peninsula many keyhole-shaped ancient tombs were built after the mid-fourth century. In particular, the Ebisuyama Ancient Tomb (145 m long) in Kaya-cho (present Yosano-cho), the Amino-choshiyama Ancient Tomb (198 m long) in Amino-cho, Kyotango City, and the Shinmeiyama Ancient Tomb (190 m long) in Tango-cho, Kyotango City are said to be the three biggest tombs. In these tombs clay figures called Tango cylinder-shaped clay figure have been found. In the first half of the sixth century the Chitose-kurumazuka Ancient Tomb (80 m long) was built in Kameoka City. It is thought that some powerful families dominated local activity and developed their own cultures at that time. Column ① Yosano-cho Ancient Tomb Park This historical park was built in 1992 and includes the restored Ebisuyama Ancient Tomb and Tsukuriyama Tomb which were designated as large-scale tombs in the Japan Sea area by the national government. The park has a museum displaying excavated clay figures and rebuilt ancient houses. (3) The Transfer of the Capital from Nara to Kyoto : from Heijo-kyo to Kuni-kyo, Nagaoka-kyo and Heian-kyo When you look up the word kyoto in a dictionary of Japanese classics, you will find a noun description meaning a capital miyako. It is said that in the Koyto Basin people first began to live in two areas, the Kitashirakawa alluvial fan in and around Kitashirakawa and the Taniguchi alluvial fan in Kamigamo. The former was made of sand accumulated by the Takano River and the Shirakawa River; the latter by the Kamo River. After a political revolution called the Taika Reform (645), the capital miyako was transferred to several places one after another. Emperor Genmyo transferred the capital to Heijo-kyo, present Nara in 710 after the capitals of Omi-Otsu, Asuka-Kiyomigahara and Fujiwara. This capital seemed as if it would be a long-lasting one, but Emperor Shomu decided to transfer the capital to Soraku-gun, Yamashiro-no-kuni, present Kizugawa City and began to build the capital of Kuni-kyo in 740.
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