Akita Castle was once the center of trade with the ancient kingdom of Balhae! The key to its significance? Remains of a flush toilet? [Akita Prefecture]

.According to the Akita City website, the history of Akita City began in 1602 (Keicho 7)

, who had previously been a daimyo of Hitachi Province (Satake Yoshinobupresent-day Ibaraki Prefecture), was ordered by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to relocate to Akita, and arrived in Akita.

Immediately after arriving in Akita, Yoshinobu built Kubota Castle and developed the castle town, which developed into the current downtown area of ​​Akita City

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The foundation of Akita City was the castle town of Kubota Castle, built by Satake Yoshinobu [Akita Prefecture]

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The restored Otemon Gate of Kubota Castle. Located within Senshu Park, a famous cherry blossom viewing spot. ©Akita City. According to the Akita City website, Akita City "began in 1602, when Satake Yoshinobu was transferred to another province." Satake Yoshinobu (Ukyo-no-dayu) - Tendokuji Temple Collection. Source: Wikipedia. Satake Yoshinobu arrived in Akita in 1602. At the command of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Shogun of the Edo Shogunate, he moved with his entire family from Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture), where he had lived for many years. The Satake clan was favored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and they wielded great influence in Hitachi Province, boasting a fief of approximately 540,000 koku.

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So, what was the area around Akita City like before Yoshinobu was transferred?

Ancient Akita Castle, which served as a frontline base in the battle against the northern tribes (Ezo)

Akita (or Agita)first appears in the Nara period historical text,the Nihon Shoki(believed to have been completed in 720).

At that time, the Yamato court, which wanted to control the Tohoku region, was encroaching on the territory of the Emishi, the indigenous people. The court dispatched troops from Nara and drove the Emishi further north, expanding the court's territory

Records indicate that in the mid-600s during the Asuka period, Abe no Hirafu led a naval force on an expedition to the Tohoku region

Before 700 AD, the front line on the Sea of ​​Japan side of the campaign against the Emishi was located in the lower reaches of the Mogami River in Yamagata Prefecture.IdehanokiThis was a fort (castle/fort) called

The punitive army then advanced more than 100 km north, and in 733, the Dewa Fort was moved to Takashimizu in Akita (Takashimizu Park in Terauchi, Akita City). This fortAkita Castlecame to be known as

Akita Castle was an administrative institution of the Imperial Court and was also responsible for trade with overseas countries

Akita Castle was the northernmost fortified settlement. It is believed that its role included not only defense against northern forces (Ezo), but also serving as a regional administrative center and a hub for trade and diplomacy

The person in charge of Akita CastleAkitawas given the high-ranking official position of

In particular, during the time when the Tang Dynasty (618-907) ruled the Chinese mainland,Bohai(698-926) in the northeastern part of the country.

Balhaesent diplomatic missions to Japan 34 times around the 8th centuryRecords show that

However, it remained unclear which ports the ships called at and where they conducted trade

It was previously thought that the port was located somewhere in Tohoku or Hokkaido, but archaeological excavations at Akita Castle haveTsuchizaki Port(Tsuchizaki Port in Akita City), and thatAkita Castle was the center of trade with Bohairevealed

A "flush toilet" found at Akita Castle... A discovery of the century amidst the sewage?

Akita Castle has undergone more than 100 archaeological excavations since 1972 (Showa 47)

During the 63rd excavation survey, conducted from 1994 (Heisei 6) to 1995 (Heisei 7),a flush toilet,, were discovered.

Furthermore, eggs of a parasite that infests pigs, which were not eaten in Japan at the time, were found in the waste that appeared to have been flushed down the toilet

The flush toilet was located in an area surrounded by a guesthouse and temples, and because the building itself was a magnificent structure unlike anything even found in the capital, it is presumed to have been used by a very important person

Since the introduction of Buddhism,prohibition against killing living beingsin 675an edict. It is unlikely that the Japanese aristocracy, who are thought to have moved away from meat consumption, were eating pork. Furthermore, the discovery of parasite eggs, which should not be found in Japan, in the waste accumulated in the toilets has led to the belief that foreign envoys, particularly those from Balhae, where pork was consumed, visited Akita Castle.

Excavation and restoration of Akita Castle remains are underway at Akita Castle Ruins Historical Park

Although Akita Castle has been lost, the investigation has yielded many discoveries, including the finding of flush toilets

In 2016,the Akita City Akita Castle Ruins Historical Museumopened, excavated materials were made available to the public, and the remains of Akita Castlethe Akita Castle Ruins Historical Parkwere restored at

The scale and layout of the government building are gradually becoming clear

Akita Castle had a wall that extended approximately 2.2 km around its perimeter, and within that wall was another enclosure where the government offices were located

The wall measured approximately 77 meters from north to south and 94 meters from east to west, with the main hall at the center and the side halls arranged symmetrically on either side. Each building was large in scale, and it is said that this layout, similar to that of Heijo-kyo and Heian-kyo, was intended to demonstrate the prestige of the imperial court

There are gates on the east, west, north and south sides, and the restored east gate

It is believed that the outer castle wall had gates on the east, west, north and south sides, but the north gate has not yet been discovered. Only the east gate and part of the Tsuji wall have been restored

In addition, many building remains were found in the area where flush toilets were excavated. These are thought to be temples or guesthouses (reception halls)

The restoration seems to be a little further off, but judging from the post holes, it appears to have been an extremely magnificent building, unlike anything even the capital had ever seen

Akita Castle Ruins Historical Museum: See excavation survey materials and learn about the overall appearance of Akita Castle

The Akita Castle Ruins Historical Museumdisplays valuable artifacts and materials excavated to date, providing a clear understanding of the role of Akita Castle and its building structure.

The exhibits include wooden tablets (with dates and names written in ink) that can identify the castle's location, roof tiles, ancient documents, weapons, and earthenware. They are organized by purpose and chronological order, allowing visitors to gain a clear understanding of the history of Akita Castle. There is also a video that introduces the role of Akita Castle

Excavations and restoration work are scheduled to continue at Akita Castle in the future, and it is hoped that further information will be revealed about what this northernmost castle was like

Incidentally, Akita Castle's role as an ancient fortress ended around the end of the Heian period (late 10th century), when the Yamato court gained general control of the Tohoku region. However, Akita Castle continued to function as a local institution of the court until the Muromachi period, after which it was abolished

During the Sengoku period, the Akita clan ruled. During the Edo period, they were replaced by the Satake clan and moved to Hitachi Province

During the Sengoku period (Warring States period), powerful local clans emerged in various regions, built bases (castles), and engaged in power struggles

in the Dewa and Tsugaru regionsThe Ando clanwas gaining powerMinato Castleand made it their base. At that time, the Ando clan adopted the title of Akita Jōnosuke andAkitachanged their name to

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The Hiyama Ando clan, who ruled Akita during the Sengoku period and had their base in Noshiro [Akita Prefecture]

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Noshiro City is a city in northern Akita Prefecture with a population of approximately 47,000 (as of December 2024, according to Noshiro City data) bordering the Sea of ​​Japan on the west side. The Yoneshiro River, a Class A river, flows east to west through the center of the city, and Noshiro Port, located at the river's mouth, has long flourished as a distribution center for northern Akita Prefecture. The current Noshiro City was formed in 2006 through the merger of the former Noshiro City at the mouth of the Yoneshiro River and the former Futatsui Town in the middle reaches of the river. Excavations of ruins have revealed that people have lived on the coast of Noshiro near the mouth of the Yoneshiro River since the Stone Age, dating back approximately 30,000 years. Furthermore, the current coastline...

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During the Edo period, the Akita clan was ordered by the shogunate to move to Hitachi Province, which was originally ruled by the Satake clan, at the same time that the Satake clan was moved to Akita. Some 40 years later, the clan was moved again to Miharu (Miharu Town, Fukushima Prefecture), where they ruled as lords of the Miharu Domain until the Meiji Restoration

Minato Castle, abandoned by Satake Yoshinobu

When Satake Yoshinobu arrived in Akita, he initially made Minato Castle his residence

However, for the Satake clan, a powerful daimyo who had ruled Hitachi Province for 470 years and been granted 540,000 koku by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the castle of the Akita clan, a minor daimyo with only 50,000 koku, was far too small to accommodate the large number of retainers they brought with them

Therefore, they decided to build a new castle on the site of Kubota, which is nowSenshu Park. Construction of the castle began in 1603 and continued until around 1631.

Kubota Castlewas completed, Minato Castle was abandoned, andTsuchizaki Shinmei Shrinewas built on its site.

NORIJUN

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