This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
The Yokote Basin, where Yokote City is located, is located in the southeastern part of Akita Prefecture and borders Iwate Prefecture to the east
During the Heian period, Yokote Castle was under the control of the Kiyohara clan and is known as the site of the Gosannen War. During the Edo period, Yokote Castle was the territory of the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain), and as it was an intersection of roads such as the Ushu Kaido, which branched off from the Oshu Kaido and connected Akita and Aomori, senior vassals of the Kubota Domain were stationed at Yokote Castle, and it flourished as the political and economic center of the southern part of the domain
Asamai and Masuda, located geographically in the center of the Yokote Basin, also flourished as distribution hubs
The Kiyohara clan defeated the Abe clan, who ruled Oku-Rokugo, and rose to become shogun in Mutsu Province
the Kiyohara clan, who are said to have originally been local officials, established several castle forts (facilities that combined fortifications and administrative functions), such as Otorii Fort (a nationally designated historic site), Kanazawa Fort, and Numa Fort, to govern the region and also formed a marriage relationship with the Abe clan
The Abe clan was a powerful clan that controlled the area known as Okurokugun in Iwate Prefecture, stretching from present-day Oshu City to Morioka City. However, friction arose with the Imperial Court, which was trying to control the interests in various northern products
The conflict between the two sides led to disputes over tax collection, so the Imperial Court sent Minamoto no Yoriyoshi to Mutsu Province (Iwate Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture, etc.) to begin a campaign against the Abe clan. However, the Abe clan, fighting on their own territory, were powerful, and things did not go well
So Yoriyoshi asked for help from the Kiyohara clan, a powerful clan in Dewa Province (the area on the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku region), and somehow managed to defeat the Abe clan
the Zenkunen War , which broke out from 1051 to 1062 , and as a result, the Kiyohara clan gained control of the Okurokugun region, which was under the control of the Abe clan, and was given the position of General of the Mutsu Province Naval District, a military branch.
Complex blood relations lead to intense internal conflict
The Kiyohara clan expanded its power, but in addition to having complicated blood relations, a complex struggle for supremacy began, involving Minamoto no Yoshiie, the son of Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and the governor (chief) of Mutsu Province at the time
First, Takesada, the son of Kiyohara Takenori, who played a major role in the "Battle of Nine Years," married the widow of Fujiwara no Tsunekiyo, who had been killed in battle on the Abe side. The wife had a son, Kiyohira, who was also welcomed into the Kiyohara clan
Fujiwara no Kiyohira, from "The Sixty Generals of Great Japan" by Yoshitora. Collection: British Museum
When Kiyohira was taken in by the Kiyohara clan, Takesada already had an eldest son, Sanehira, and later gave birth to Iehira with Kiyohira's mother. The three brothers had complicated blood ties between their parents
Takesada was succeeded by his eldest brother, Masahira, who initially ruled peacefully, but Kiyohira and Iehira began to disagree over Masahira's choice of successor. In 1083, while Masahira was on an expedition to Dewa, Kiyohira and Iehira attacked Masahira's mansion. This marked the beginning of the "Gosannen War."
This time, Minamoto no Yoshiie came to the aid of Masahira and things seemed to have settled, but Masahira suddenly died during another expedition. Yoshiie ruled that the fertile southern lands of the Kiyohara clan were given to Kiyohira and the barren northern lands to Iehira
The internal conflict of the Kiyohara clan and the birth of the Oshu Fujiwara clan
From the Gosannen Kassen Emaki (manuscript) Collection: Tokyo Fuji Art Museum
Dissatisfied with the territorial award, Iehira attempted to kill Kiyohira. After his wife and child were killed, Kiyohira fled to Yoshiie's side, and his father Takesada's younger brother, Takehira, joined Iehira's side, creating a conflict between Kiyohira and Yoshiie versus Iehira and Takehira
After fighting at Numa Fortress (Omonogawa River, Yokote City), in 1087, the forces of Iehira and Takehira took up camp at the well-defended Kanazawa Fortress (Kanazawa, Yokote City). However, they were defeated by a siege tactic by Kiyohira and Yoshiie's forces, bringing the Gosannen War
There is a sequel to this story. Minamoto no Yoshiie intervened in the internal conflict of the Kiyohara clan without receiving instructions from the Imperial Court, and was dismissed from his position as Governor of Mutsu by the Imperial Court. However, he made a great name for himself by donating his personal wealth to reward his retainers who fought at the risk of their lives, and this is thought to have been one of the reasons for the establishment of the later samurai society
Furthermore, Kiyohira, who was of both Kiyohara and Abe descent, was the only survivor, but for a time he was marked as a dangerous person by the Imperial Court. Kiyohira later changed his surname from Kiyohara to his father's, Fujiwarathe Oshu Fujiwara clan which controlled the entire Tohoku region , and built the foundation of Hiraizumi's golden culture that lasted for about 100 years.
Otoriyama Ruins, the former base of the Kiyohara clan
Otorii Fortress was the base of Kiyohara Mitsuyori (older brother of Takenori), head of the Kiyohara clan, and his son Yorito (Otoriyama Taro Yorito). Located on the central eastern edge of the Yokote Basin, approximately 2km northeast of the current Yokote City Hall, it was built on three hills known as Otoriiyama, Kokichiyama, and Daidokorodate. The old Ushu Kaido road ran through the foot of the fortress, making it easily accessible, and its location surrounded by rivers on three sides made it highly defensive
While it has been difficult to determine the location of the Kiyohara clan's castle fortifications, Otorii Fortifications appears in the late Heian period war chronicle "Mutsu Waki," and excavations have unearthed numerous remains of residences and artifacts thought to date back to the same period as the Zenkunen War and Gosannen War.Furthermore, with the results of subsequent research, this location has been determined to be the site of Otorii Fortifications
Otoriyama Ruins <Information>
Otoriyama Ruins (Otori Park)
Location: Otoricho and Shinsakacho, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0182-32-2403 (Yokote City Board of Education, General Affairs Department, Cultural Properties Protection Division, Buried Cultural Properties Section)
Free to wander around
access:
Train: Take a bus from JR Ou Main Line Yokote Station to Shinsaka bus stop, then walk for about 7 minutes, or walk for about 35 minutes from Yokote Station
By car: Approximately 10 minutes from Yokote IC on the Akita Expressway and Tohoku Chuo Expressway
Google Map
Numa-saku, a strong fortress that the combined forces of Kiyohira and Yoshiie could not break
Numa-saku was a castle fort located in Numadate, along the Omono River that flows along the western edge of the Yokote Basin, where Iehira temporarily barricaded himself during the Gosannen War. Numa-saku was an extremely strong fort that withstood the relentless attacks of the allied forces of Kiyohira and Yoshiie, but in turn, the allied forces were forced to retreat due to cold and hunger
In Numadate, there are remains of Numadate Castle, which was the base of the Onodera clan in the Middle Ages, and the prevailing theory is that this is where the "Numasaku" was located, but this has not yet been identified
Remains of the Swamp Fence <Information>
Facility name: Remains of Numafaku
Address: Around Zokoin Temple, 429 Numadate, Omonogawa-cho, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0182-32-2403 (Yokote City Board of Education, General Affairs Department, Cultural Properties Protection Division)
*This is a temple site, and only the outer edge can be visited
access:
Train: Approximately 30 minutes by taxi from Yokote Station on the JR Ou Main Line
By car: Approximately 20 minutes from Yokote IC on the Akita Expressway and Tohoku Chuo Expressway
Google Map
Kanazawa Fortress, the site of the fiercest battle of the Gosannen War
Kanazawasaku was the site of the fiercest battle of the Gosannen War. Iehira and Takehira's forces moved from Numasaku and barricaded themselves here, but ultimately fell when they could not withstand the siege tactics of Kiyohira and Yoshiie's forces
The later picture scroll depicting the "Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba" (a nationally designated important cultural property), also depicts the cruel story of Yoshiie massacring all the women and children who had fled from the "Kanazawa Fortress."
Kanazawa Castle is located on a hill in the Kanazawa district, north of the center of Yokote City. It is a medieval castle that appeared at the end of the Ashikaga period, about 370 years after the Gosannen War. Excavations have uncovered the remains of the main castle, second castle, and northern castle, as well as moats
Its location resembles the Kanazawa Fortress described in the Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba, and it has long been thought to be the site of the Kanazawa Fortress. Excavations conducted by the Yokote City Board of Education over many years have uncovered remains from the period around the time of the Gosannen Kassen, but they have not yet been identified as the Kanazawa Fortress
Excavations are still ongoing, so we look forward to future results
On the hill on the opposite side of the old Ushu Kaido road from the ruins of Kanazawa Castle are the Jindate ruins, which provide clues to the remains of the Kanazawa Fortress
The Jinkan Ruins are located in the same area as the Otoriyama Ruins, and remains of buildings and artifacts from the same period as the Gosannen War have been excavated, but there is no definitive proof of this either. However, there is no doubt that the ruins are related to the Kiyohara clan, and they have been designated a national historic site as an associated ruin of the Otoriyama Ruins
Kanazawa Fortress and Jinkan Ruins <Information>
Facility name: Kanazawa Saku Ruins and Jinkan Ruins
Location: Kanazawa district, Yokote city, Akita prefecture
Phone number: 0182-32-2403 (Yokote City Board of Education, General Affairs Department, Cultural Properties Protection Division)
You are free to stroll around Kanazawa Park, but the Jinkan ruins are private property and cannot be entered
access:
Train: Approximately 20 minutes by bus from Yokote Station on the JR Ou Main Line to Omagari, then a 5-minute walk from Kanazawa Honmachi bus stop (Gosannen Kassen Kanazawa Museum)
By car: Approximately 20 minutes from Yokote IC on the Akita Expressway and Tohoku Chuo Expressway
The Gosannen Kassen Kanazawa Museum is a facility that exhibits various materials, including a copy of the Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba, a sutra tube designated as a cultural property by Akita Prefecture, artifacts excavated during archaeological surveys, and treasures from Kanazawa Hachimangu Shrine. Nearby are the ruins of Kanazawa Castle, one of the presumed locations for the Kanazawa Castle
Otoriyama Ruins <Information>
Facility name: Gosannen War Kanazawa Museum
Address: 102-4 Negoya, Nakano, Kanazawa, Yokote City
Phone number: 0182-37-3510
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00
Closed: Every Monday (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), December 29th to January 3rd
Admission fee: 100 yen for high school students and above, free for junior high school students and below (Gosannen War Kanazawa Museum, Kamakura Museum,
(Common to all four museums: Ishizaka Yojiro Literary Memorial Museum, Yokote Park Observatory)
access:
Train: Approximately 20 minutes by bus from Yokote Station on the JR Ou Main Line to Omagari, then a 5-minute walk from Kanazawa Honmachi bus stop (Gosannen Kassen Kanazawa Museum)
By car: Approximately 20 minutes from Yokote IC on the Akita Expressway and Tohoku Chuo Expressway
"Heian Wind Park" developed in the area where the wild geese used to fly
Disturbance of the Flying Geese, from "Gosannen Gunki" (Records of the Battle of Gosannen), Tokyo National Museum
The famous "Disturbance of the Flying Geese" from the Gosannen War is a battle in which the outcome was decided by the flight of geese
Iehira had about 30 troops hiding in the area around Nishinuma (Nakano, Kanazawa, Yokote City), which was an ideal swamp to intercept Minamoto no Yoshiie's army coming from the west toward Kanazawa Castle
As the soldiers made preparations to launch a surprise attack on Yoshiie's troops, who were unaware of the situation, a flock of geese in the sky disrupted their formation. Yoshiie saw this and realized that someone was there, and the surprise attack failed
"Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba" is a military picture scroll that tells the story of the Gosannen War to future generations
From the original of "Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba" (Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property) Collection: National Diet Library
The "Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba" was produced in 1347, with a preface and colophons for each volume. It is known that all of the illustrations were done by Hida no Kami Korehisa, and that a different calligrapher wrote the legend for each volume. This picture scroll has handed down the outline of the Gosannen Kassen to future generations. Originally, it is thought that there were six volumes in total, but only the last three volumes remain, consisting mostly of scenes from the Battle of Kanazawa Saku
The Gosannen Kassen Ekotoba has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan and is housed at the Tokyo National Museum. The entire work is available to the public on the digital archive Tokyo National Museum ColBase (an integrated search system for the collections of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage), and can be freely viewed on computers and smartphones
There are also many copies of the Oshu Gosannen Ekotoba, which are on display at the Gosannen War Kanazawa Museum and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum
My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts
