Yamato Imperial Court

Japanese: 大和朝廷 - やまとちょうてい

This was the central organization that played a central role in the formation of the Japanese state in the 4th to 7th centuries. Geographically, it is thought to have been Yamato Province (present-day Nara Prefecture), but the location of Yamataikoku as seen in the Gishiwajinden and the theory of the state's eastward migration as seen in the Kojiki and Nihonshoki myths (→ Kojiki and Nihonshoki) are also related. The Gishiwajinden records that Japan in the 3rd century was divided into more than 30 small states, but later documents state that these were gradually integrated, and by the end of the 4th century, a powerful unified state was established in the areas centered on Yamato and Kawachi, and even sent troops to Korea. The Song Shu also records that in the 5th century, there was diplomatic relations with the Song Dynasty of China. This is what is called the Yamato state, and the Five Kings of Wa seen in the Song Shu are thought to be the emperors recorded in the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, and although there are objections to the individual identifications, it is generally accepted that King Take of Wa was Emperor Yuryaku. Therefore, it is highly likely that the Yamato court, centered on the emperor, was established in the Kinki region around the end of the 4th century. Some say that the Yamato court originated from Yamataikoku, the country that Himiko established as her capital in the 3rd century, which can also be read as "Yamato." However, there are two theories about its location: one is that it was in Kyushu, and the other is that it was in Yamato, and there are many problems with this theory. The Kojiki and Nihonshoki state that the first emperor of the Yamato court was Emperor Jimmu, but the most widely accepted theory is that the 10th emperor, Emperor Sujin, was the first emperor. Emperor Sujin established his capital in Miwa, and was closely related to Omiwa Shrine, so some say that the court is called the Miwa dynasty. Next, the Naniwa dynasty, centered on Emperor Ojin and Emperor Nintoku, known for their large keyhole-shaped tombs, was established in Kawachi, and this is thought to correspond to the period of the Five Kings of Wa described in the Song Shu. Furthermore, some scholars believe that the Miwa or Naniwa dynasty is based on the theory that nomadic peoples from northern Asia landed in Japan via the Korean Peninsula as a horse-riding people. The prevailing theory is that Emperor Keitai, who arose from the Mikuni province of Echizen following the Ojin and Nintoku dynasties, was the origin of today's Imperial family. The Sujin dynasty is also called the old dynasty, the Ojin and Nintoku dynasties the middle dynasties, and the dynasties after the Keitai dynasty the new dynasty. The Yamato court, centered in Yamato, overwhelmed the various powerful clans in various regions religiously and militarily, gradually expanding its sphere of influence, and after the Taika Reforms, the Ritsuryo state (→ Ritsuryo system) was established. (→ Japanese History)

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

4～7世紀の日本の国家形成に際し，その中心となった中央組織。地理的には大和国（現在の奈良県）が考えられるが，「魏志倭人伝」に見える邪馬台国の所在地や，記紀神話（→古事記，日本書紀）に見える国家の東遷説も関連する。3世紀の日本について魏志倭人伝は 30余国の小国家が分立していたことを記しているが，その後の文献で，それらがしだいに統合され 4世紀末には大和，河内を中心とする地方に強力な統一国家が成立し，朝鮮にまで出兵するにいたった，とある。また『宋書』には 5世紀に中国の宋と国交のあったことが記されている。これが大和国家とも呼ばれるもので，『宋書』に見える倭の五王は記紀に記された天皇とみられ，個々の比定には異論もあるが，倭王の武が雄略天皇である点はほぼ定説となっている。したがって，天皇を中心とする大和朝廷が 4世紀末頃に近畿地方に成立していた可能性が高い。3世紀の卑弥呼が都とした邪馬台国は「ヤマト」とも読めるため，これを大和朝廷の起源とする説もあるが，それには所在地に九州説と大和説とがあり問題が多い。大和朝廷の成立については神武天皇を初代とする伝承が記紀に見えるが，実際には第10代の崇神天皇が初代の天皇であったとする説が有力である。崇神天皇は三輪に都し，大神神社（おおみわじんじゃ）と関係が深かったため，ミワ王朝と呼ぶ説もある。次に，世界的に大きな前方後円墳で知られる応神天皇，仁徳天皇を中心とするナニワ王朝が河内を中心として成立しており，これが『宋書』にいう倭の五王の時代にあたるものとみられる。さらに一部の学者には，北方アジアの遊牧民族が朝鮮半島を経て日本に上陸したという騎馬民族説をミワ王朝あるいはナニワ王朝にあてる者もいる。応神，仁徳王朝に次いで越前の三国（みくに）から興った継体天皇が今日の皇室の起源をなしたとする説が有力である。崇神王朝を古王朝，応神，仁徳王朝を中王朝，継体王朝以後を新王朝とも称する。大和朝廷は大和を中心として各地の諸豪族を宗教的，軍事的に圧倒し，しだいにその勢力範囲を拡大してゆき，大化改新を経て律令国家（→律令制）の成立を迎えた。（→日本史）

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