Akita Castle

Japanese: 秋田城 - あきたじょう

An ancient castle fort from the Nara to Heian periods, located in Terauchi Ohata, Akita City, Akita Prefecture. Nationally designated historic site. In the early 8th century, the Yamato government established a political and military base for Dewa Management called Dewa no Saku in today's Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture. Around this time, the Yamato government's sphere of influence moved north to today's central Akita Prefecture, and Dewa no Saku was relocated to present-day Akita City in 733 (Tenpyo 5) (according to Shoku Nihongi). Documents confirm that this Akita castle was called Akita Castle in 760 (Tenpyo Hou 4). Akita Castle is an irregular square with sides of approximately 550 meters, surrounded by a tsuji wall with a base width of 2.1 meters and a height of 3 meters, and inside it was a government building measuring 94 meters east to west and 77 meters north to south. Around this time, envoys from Bokkai frequently visited Dewa, and in recent years it has been suggested that Akita Castle played an important role in receiving them. In fact, the remains of a building that appears to have been a guesthouse have been excavated from the castle ruins. Akita Castle was the location of the provincial government office, but in the 9th century, attacks by the Emishi ( Ezo ) became increasingly severe, and in 804 (Enryaku 23), the castle was demoted to Akita County. This indicates that the function of the provincial government office of Akita Castle was transferred elsewhere. Instead of the kokushi, Akita Castle Suke, a post second only to the kokushi, was stationed in Akita Castle, and the castle took on a stronger military character. The castle was frequently attacked by prisoners of war ( Ezo who accepted the rule of the imperial court), such as in the Gangyo Rebellion that began in 878 (Gangyo 2) and the Tengyō Rebellion in 939 (Tengyō 2), and was even temporarily occupied. Akita Castle appears in documents from around the 11th century, so we know it existed until that time, but it is thought to have fallen into decline after the Battle of Zenkunen around 1050. Currently, the ruins of Akita Castle are Takashimizu Park, and parts of the castle's east gate and Tsukiji wall have been restored within the park. Take a bus from JR Akita Station for about 20 minutes, get off at the Gokoku Shrine entrance, and walk for about 7 minutes. ◇It is also called "Akita no Ki."

Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japanese Castles Information

Japanese:

秋田県秋田市寺内大畑にあった奈良時代から平安時代にかけての古代の城柵。国指定史跡。大和政権は8世紀初めに、今日の山形県庄内地方に出羽柵(でわのさく)という出羽経営の政治・軍事拠点を設けた。この前後に大和政権の勢力圏は今日の秋田県中央部に北上したため、それに伴い、733年（天平5）に出羽柵を現在の秋田市に移設した（『続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)』による）。この秋田の城柵は760年（天平宝宇4）には秋田城と呼ばれていたことが文献で確認されている。秋田城は一辺が約550mのいびつな方形をしており、基底幅2.1m、高さ3mの築地塀に囲まれ、その内部には東西94m、南北77mの政庁の建物があった。このころ、渤海(ぼっかい)の使節がたびたび出羽を訪れているが、近年、その応接は秋田城の重要な役目だったのではないかといわれ始めている。実際、城跡からは迎賓館らしき建物跡が出土している。秋田城には国府が置かれていたが、9世紀に入ると蝦夷(えみし)の攻撃がしだいに激しくなり、804年（延暦23）には秋田郡へと降格した。これは秋田城の国府としての機能がよそに移ったことを示すものである。秋田城には国司に代わり、国司に次ぐポストの秋田城介(あきたじょうのすけ)が常駐し、軍事拠点としての色合いを濃くしていった。878年（元慶2）に始まった元慶の乱、939年（天慶2）の天慶の乱など、たびたび俘囚（朝廷の支配を受け入れた蝦夷）の大規模な攻撃を受け、一時的に占領されたこともあった。秋田城は11世紀ごろの文献にも登場するので、そのころまで存続していたことがわかっているが、1050年前後の前九年の役を境に衰退していったと考えられている。現在、秋田城跡は高清水公園になっており、園内に秋田城の東門や築地塀の一部が復元されている。JR秋田駅からバス約20分で護国神社入口下車、徒歩約7分。◇「あきたのき」ともいう。

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