Iji Castle

Japanese: 伊治城 - いじじょう

The remains of a Nara period castle and government office in Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture (formerly Tsukidate Town). Built on the river terraces of the Hasama River ( Ichihasama River) and the Nishihasama River, it is approximately 900m north to south and 700m east to west. Inside are government offices and government offices where politics and ceremonies were conducted, and outside the outer wall, the remains of numerous pit dwellings thought to be soldiers' quarters have been found. Iji Castle was built in 767 ( Jingo Keiun 1 ) by Tanaka Tadamaro, the deputy chief of the ward, and others as the northernmost base for the control of Mutsu Province at that time. At the same time, Kurihara County in Mutsu Province was established, and since then, it became an important base for the imperial court's control of Mutsu Province for half a century until around the 9th century, at the beginning of the Heian period. This castle was the stage for the Hōki Rebellion, which took place in 780 (Hōki 11) by Iji Azamaro, a chief of the Emishi ( Emishi ), who served the Mutsu Kamiji District (fifth rank), and was the governor of Mutsu Kamiji District. In the same year, Azamaro attacked and killed the inspector Kino Hirozumi, who visited Iji Castle, and Michishima no Odate , the governor of Oshika District ( around Ishinomaki City), who was also a prisoner of war. He then attacked Taga Castle (Tagajō City), plundering and burning it, and for some time afterwards, the area was beyond the reach of the imperial court. The castle ruins are now fields and residential areas, and only a few remains of the earthworks remain. In addition, the castle ruins are home to the Kurihara City Tsukidate Excavated Cultural Property Management Center, where ancient crossbows , vases and other excavated items from the castle ruins are preserved and exhibited. Take a bus from Sendai Station on the JR Tohoku Main Line or Tohoku Shinkansen to Rikuzenjo Ikuno, then walk for about 5 minutes. ◇It is also called "Kore ru jo" or "Kore ri jo".

This is Iji Castle

⇒Iji Castle

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

宮城県栗原市（旧築館(つきだて)町）にある奈良時代の城柵・官衙跡。迫(はさま)川（一迫川）と二迫川の河岸段丘に築かれ、南北約900m、東西約700mの規模で、その内部で政治や儀式を執り行った政庁や官衙の建物が、外郭の外では兵士の宿舎と思われる多数の竪穴住居跡が見つかっている。伊治城が当時最北の陸奥支配の拠点として、鎮守副将軍の田中多太麻呂(ただまろ)らにより築かれたのは767年（神護景雲1）。これとともに陸奥国栗原郡が設置され、以来、平安時代初めの9世紀ごろまで半世紀にわたって朝廷の陸奥支配の重要拠点となった。この城を舞台に、780年（宝亀11）に蝦夷(えみし)の族長で陸奥国府に仕え陸奥上治郡の大領（外従五位下）だった伊治呰麻呂(あざまろ)による宝亀の乱が起こった。呰麻呂は同年、伊治城を訪れた按察使(あぜち)の紀広純(きのひろずみ)と同じく俘囚出身で牡鹿郡（石巻市周辺）の大領（長官）の道嶋大楯(みちしまのおおだて)を襲撃して殺害し、続いて、多賀城（多賀城市）を襲撃して略奪・放火を行い、その後もしばらく、朝廷の統治が及ばない事態が続いた。城跡は現在、田畑、住宅地になっており、わずかに土塁跡が残っている。また、城跡には栗原市築館出土文化財管理センターがあり、古代の弩(いしゆみ)や壺など、城跡からの出土品が保存・展示されている。JR東北本線・東北新幹線仙台駅からバスで陸前城生野下車、徒歩約5分。◇「これはるじょう」「これはりじょう」ともいう。