Nagaokakyo

Japanese: 長岡京 - ながおかきょう

In the early Heian period, this was the capital city of Otokuni County, Yamashiro Province. It is located near the current cities of Muko and Nagaokakyo in Kyoto Prefecture. Emperor Kanmu moved the capital from Heijo-kyo to this place on November 11, 784 (Enryaku 3), and it remained here until it was moved to Heian-kyo on October 22, 794. Miyagi, the political center, was in Muko City, Tozai-ichi, the economic center, was in Nagaokakyo City, Yamazaki-no-tsu, the transportation center and the entrance to the capital, was in Oyamazaki-cho, and Yodo-tsu was in Kyoto City. It is believed that there were ten wards on the north and south side, four on each side on the east and west sides, for a total of eight wards, but there are other opinions (Heian-kyo had 9.5 wards from north to south, Heijo-kyo's left ward had 9 wards, and its right ward had 9.5 wards). The reason why Nagaokakyo is long from north to south is probably because the area around Yodo in the southeast was a low-lying marshland and the southwest was mountainous. Part of the palace in the north was also on a hill, so no buildings were built there.

Nara was abandoned as a capital due to isolation from Buddhist influences and a desire to renew the people's spirit, but the main reason was an overpopulation and lack of convenient water transport for transporting goods. In contrast, ships traveling on the ocean and the Seto Inland Sea could easily travel upstream to Yamazakitsu and Yodotsu in Nagaokakyo. The mother of Fujiwara Tanetsugu, who was highly trusted by the emperor, and the wife of Fujiwara Koguromaro, were from the wealthy Hata clan, a clan of immigrants who lived in Kadono and Otokuni counties in Yamashiro (Yamashiro), and this clan offered to cooperate with the relocation of the capital and made efforts to attract it. However, in 785, Fujiwara Tanetsugu, the leader of the relocation and the Nagaoka Palace envoy, was assassinated, and Prince Sawara, who was believed to have been involved in this incident, was deposed as crown prince. During this period, a large-scale project to conquer the Emishi (Emishi people) was carried out, but this also came with a heavy economic burden. However, the capital city, which was nearing completion, continued to suffer from floods and political strife, and Emperor Kanmu, who was plagued by the vengeful spirit of Prince Sawara, decided to move the capital to Heian-kyo after only 10 years.

[Shuichi Nakayama]

Excavations

Excavations at the site of Nagaokakyo have been taking place since the end of 1954 (Showa 29) and as of the end of 1984, the number of surveys has already exceeded 400, with excavations and sorting being carried out in several locations using an annual budget of nearly 200 million yen. As excavations progressed, it became clear that Beijing Pole Road, two streets north of the site originally thought to be Beijing Pole, was in fact possible, and that the street layout was closer to that of Heijokyo than to that of Heiankyo, and that Nagaokakyo was the longest of the three capitals from north to south, but narrower than Heiankyo in width from east to west.

In the area around Muko Shrine, which is in the Nagaoka Palace area, the ancient tombs remain intact, and excavations have revealed pillar holes and foundation stones. Some places have already been rebuilt in the last 10 years, and it is clear that construction work has been carried out in almost the entire area. In the Kyoto area, the main roads and alleys running east-west, north-south, and south were almost complete, about 10,000 houses had been built, and it is estimated that it was a beautiful, well-organized town with a garden city-like population of 50,000.

More than 1,000 wooden tablets have been excavated, providing important information along with the ink-written pottery. The roof tiles excavated include tiles from Fujiwara-kyo, Heijo-kyo, Naniwa-kyo, Hora-miya Palace, and tiles unique to Nagaoka-kyo. The roof tiles, foundation stones, pillars, etc. were then transported to Heian-kyo in their entirety.

[Shuichi Nakayama]

"Excavating Nagaokakyo" by Toru Takahashi et al. (1968, Japan Broadcasting Publishing Association)" ▽ "Inside and Outside Nagaokakyo" by Shuichi Nakayama et al. (1978, Otokuni Shobo)" ▽ "History of Muko City, Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Masaaki Ueda (1983, 1985, Muko City)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

平安時代初期、山城(やましろ)国乙訓(おとくに)郡に置かれた都城。現在の京都府向日(むこう)市・長岡京市付近にあたる。桓武(かんむ)天皇は784年（延暦3）11月11日に平城京からこの地に遷都し、以来794年10月22日に平安京に遷(うつ)るまでここに都した。政治の中心である宮城は向日市に、経済の中心である東西市(とうざいいち)は長岡京市に、交通の中心であり都の玄関にあたる山崎津(やまざきのつ)は大山崎町に、淀津(よどのつ)は京都市にあった。南北は十条、東西は左右各四坊計八坊あったと考えられているが、他の意見もある（平安京は南北9.5条、平城京の左京は9条、右京は9.5条分あった）。長岡京が南北に長いのは、南東部の淀付近が低湿地であり、南西部が山であった関係であろう。北部の宮の一部も丘のため建物は建てられていなかった。

　奈良が廃都になったのは、仏教勢力からの絶縁、人心一新が理由とされるが、人口が増えすぎ、物資の輸送に有利な水運の便を欠いたのが最大の原因であった。これに対し、長岡京の山崎津や淀津には、当時大洋や瀬戸内海を航行する船がそのまま遡航(そこう)してくることができた。また天皇の信任の厚い藤原種継(たねつぐ)の母や藤原小黒麻呂(こぐろまろ)の妻の実家は、山背(やましろ)（山城）の葛野(かどの)郡や乙訓郡に居住する裕福な渡来系氏族秦(はた)氏で、この一族が遷都については協力を申し出て、誘致に努力したらしい。しかし、785年には遷都の首唱者で造長岡宮使の藤原種継が暗殺され、これに関係したとされる早良(さわら)親王の廃太子事件が起きた。この時代、大規模な蝦夷(えみし)征討事業も行われたが、その経済的負担も大きかった。ところが完成近かった都も洪水や政争が続き、早良親王の怨霊(おんりょう)に悩まされた桓武天皇によって、わずか10年で平安京へ都を遷すこととなった。

［中山修一］

発掘調査

長岡京址(し)の発掘は、1954年（昭和29）末以来84年末現在で、調査回数はすでに400回を超え、年間2億円近い発掘調査費を使って何か所かにおいて発掘と整理が行われている。発掘が進むにしたがって、最初考えた北京極(きょうごく)の地より2本北に北京極大路(おおじ)が考えられるようになり、町割は平安京型よりは平城京型に近く、南北は三都のなかでいちばん長いが東西幅は平安京より狭いことが明らかになった。

　長岡宮域にあたる向日神社付近は古墳も破壊されずそのままに残っているほかは、どこの発掘でも柱穴や礎石下の根石をみいだすことができる。なかには10年の間にすでに建て直されている所も何か所かみられ、ほぼ全域に工事は進められていたことがわかった。京域では東西南北の大路小路もほぼ完成し、民家も約1万棟は建っており、人口も5万人はある田園都市的な整頓(せいとん)された美しい街であったと推定されるようになった。

　木簡の出土数も1000枚を超え、墨書土器とともに重要な資料を提供している。出土瓦(かわら)には、藤原京・平城京・難波(なにわ)京・保良(ほら)宮瓦と長岡京固有の瓦とがあり、瓦や礎石、柱などはその後そっくり平安京へ運ばれている。

［中山修一］

『高橋徹他著『長岡京発掘』（1968・日本放送出版協会）』▽『中山修一他著『長岡京内と外』（1978・乙訓書房）』▽『上田正昭編『向日市史』上下（1983、85・向日市）』

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