Omi-Otsu Shrine

The palace of Emperor Tenchi. It is also called Omi-miya, Otsu-miya, and Omi-kyo. However, it is unclear whether the capital was established. Emperor Tenchi moved the capital there in March 667 (the 6th year of Emperor Tenchi's reign), the year before he ascended to the throne, but the capital was abandoned when he died in 671 and the Omi Court was defeated in the Jinshin War the following year. The reason for leaving Asuka and retreating to the shores of Lake Biwa was likely for national defense reasons following the defeat at Baekgang during the Baekje War. It is known from the Nihon Shoki that within the palace there were buildings such as the Dairi (inner palace), the Great Hall, the Western Small Hall, the Buddha Hall, and the Palace Gate. The site of the palace where a water clock was installed on a new base and where Prince Otomo is said to have made a pledge of unity with his ministers in front of the Buddha statue in the western hall just before Emperor Tenchi's death had previously been believed to be in Awazu, southern Shiga, or Nishikori in Otsu City, but excavations conducted since 1974 (Showa 49) have uncovered part of the palace remains in the Nishikori area.

[Mitsuru Yagi]

"Ancient Japanese Capitals" by Mitsuru Yagi (Kodansha Gendai Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

天智(てんじ)天皇の宮室。近江宮、大津宮、さらに近江京ともよぶ。ただし京域を設定したか未詳。天智天皇は即位前年の667年（天智天皇6）3月に遷都したが、671年崩御、翌年の壬申(じんしん)の乱で近江朝が敗北したためこの都は廃絶した。飛鳥(あすか)を離れて琵琶湖畔に退いたのは、百済(くだら)の役における白村江の敗戦に伴う国防上の理由からであろう。『日本書紀』から、宮内に内裏(だいり)、大殿、西小殿、仏殿、宮門などの建物のあったことが知られる。漏剋(ろうこく)（水時計）を新台に設置し、また天智天皇の死の直前、西殿の仏像前で大友皇子が群臣と同心の誓盟を交わしたという宮跡は、従来、大津市粟津(あわづ)、南滋賀、錦織(にしこおり)などの地に推定されてきたが、1974年（昭和49）以後の発掘調査で、錦織地区で宮の遺構の一部が発見された。

［八木　充］

『八木充著『古代日本の都』（講談社現代新書）』

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