Odoi - Odoi

Japanese: 御土居 - おどい

<br /> The remains of embankments are located in Kita-ku, Nakagyo-ku, and Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. In 1591 ( Tensho 19), Toyotomi Hideyoshi built these embankments along the Kamo River in the east, Takagamine in the north, Kamiya River in the west, and Kujo in the south as part of the urban reconstruction of Kyoto, which had been devastated by long wars. They served as defensive walls against attacks by foreign enemies and as embankments to protect the city from flooding of the Kamo River. They consist of trapezoidal earthworks and moats (part of the moat uses rivers, ponds, and swamps), and extend for a total of 22.5 km, covering an area of approximately 8.5 km north to south and 3.5 km east to west. The inside of the earthworks is called Rakuchu , and the outside is called Rakugai, and seven entrances were built at key points to serve as entrances to and from the outer Kyoto area. Place names such as Kuramaguchi and Tambaguchi are remnants of this. In the Edo period, the country was at peace and there was no threat of foreign enemies, so the Odoi gradually became useless. As the city expanded outside the capital, they were demolished one by one, except for those that served as embankments, and only a few vestiges remain, mainly in the northern area. Of the Odoi remaining in the city, eight (Shichiku, Rosanji, Nishinokyo, Hirano, Murasakino, two in Takagamine, and Omiya) were designated as national historic sites in 1930 ( Showa 5 ) because they provide insight into the history of Kyoto and are important relics that trace the development of cities in Japan. In 1965, one more (the grounds of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Bakuro-cho, Kamigyo Ward) was added, making a total of nine designated sites. To get to Omiya Odoi in Omiya Doi-cho, Kita Ward, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen or Kyoto Station, get off at the city bus stop "Murasakino Sendo-cho" and walk for about three minutes.

Source: Kodansha National Historic Site Guide Information

Japanese:

京都府京都市北区・中京区・上京区にある堤跡。1591年（天正19）、豊臣秀吉が長い戦乱で荒れ果てた京都の都市改造の一環として、東は鴨川、北は鷹ヶ峯(たかがみね)、西は紙屋川、南は九条付近に沿って築いたもので、外敵の来襲に備える防塁と鴨川の氾濫から市街を守る堤防の役割を果たした。台形の土塁と堀（堀の一部は川や池、沼を利用）からなり、南北約8.5km、東西約3.5kmの範囲で総延長は22.5kmに及ぶ。土塁の内側を洛中(らくちゅう)、外側を洛外と呼び、要所には七口を設けて洛外との出入り口とした。鞍馬口(くらまぐち)や丹波口(たんばぐち)などの地名はその名残である。江戸時代になると天下太平が続いて外敵の脅威もなく、御土居は次第に無用の存在となって市街地が洛外に広がると、堤防の役割を果たしていたものなどを除いて次々と取り壊され、北辺を中心にわずかに名残を留めるだけとなった。市内に残る御土居のうち8ヵ所（紫竹、盧山寺(ろさんじ)、西ノ京、平野、紫野、鷹ヶ峯2ヵ所、大宮）が京都の沿革を知ることができること、わが国における都市の発達をたどる重要な遺構であることから、1930年（昭和5）に国の史跡に指定され、1965年（昭和40）にさらに1ヵ所（上京区馬喰町の北野天満宮境内）が追加指定を受けて、現在9ヵ所が指定地となっている。北区大宮土居町にある大宮御土居へは、JR東海道新幹線ほか京都駅から市バス「紫野泉堂町」下車、徒歩約3分。

出典　講談社国指定史跡ガイドについて　情報

<<: Male Toka - Otoko to Uka

>>: Auto Atlas [Mountains] - Auto Atlas