The Ancient Emishi Hero Aterui and the 38-Year Tohoku War [Part 2] | Major Battles in Ancient Tohoku and Their History

Why did the ancient Tohoku region become a battlefield?

As we have seen, Aterui and the other Emishi were in a state of prolonged combat with the Yamato army, but why did the Tohoku region have to become a battlefield in the first place?

First, as Yamato expanded its power as a nation, it sought to bring the various peoples living in the archipelago under its rule

The objectives may include territorial expansion, land for production bases, and the acquisition of economic infrastructure such as unique products and resources

The name Aterui first appears towards the end of the Nara period, but even before that, around the beginning of the 8th century, there had been large-scale battles between Aterui and a people called the "Hayato"

Even in mythology, there are many depictions of people who appear to be indigenous people being pacified, and it would be difficult to deny the image of invasion from a modern perspective

It is unclear what motivated ancient Yamato to so desperately expand its territory, but the eastern and northeastern regions have been its frontline targets since ancient times

Below is an overview of the history of sending troops to Emishi lands as seen in myths and historical records

The Emishi, spoken of since the age of mythology

"Emishi" in the Nihon Shoki, an entry for October of the year Bouma, shortly before the accession of Emperor Jimmu to the throne, where it is said to refer to "aishou-shi" (poetry of love)

This concerns the pacification wars that took place before Emperor Jimmu ascended to the throne as the first emperor, that is, before he was completely based in the land of Yamato

These words appear in a celebratory song sung when Michinoomi no Mikoto, who is said to be the ancestor of the Otomo clan, defeated the remnants of Yasotakeru, but it is not clear whether they are the same as the Emishi of the eastern and Tohoku regions as they are currently understood

Incidentally, it was in Uda (present-day Uda City and Uda County in Nara Prefecture) that Jimmu became aware of the existence of the Yaso Owl Generals, and it has been pointed out that this may have been a collective name for a large number of heroes who were his enemies, rather than the name of a specific person

The accession of Emperor Jimmu to the throne is based on the timeline of mythology, and if we were to convert it to the Gregorian calendar, it would be in the 7th century BC. Some researchers believe that the songs that contain the term "aishou-shi" (love poems) are not originally related to Emperor Jimmu

With this in mind, the fact that the Yamato's founding story itself is inseparable from the days of fighting to bring the indigenous forces under its control can be said to have had a significant impact on its relationship with the Emishi, who will be mentioned later

Records of the Emishi in the Kofun period

During the Kofun period, the Yamato royal authority sent a memorial to Emperor Shun of the Song Dynasty (Southern Dynasty of China) in the second year of the Shomei era (478), as recorded in the "Wakokuden" section of the "Song Shu."

In Wakoku, the king himself wore armor for generations

In the east, they conquered 55 provinces of the Emishi. In the west, they subjugated 66 provinces of the barbarians. They crossed the sea and pacified 95 provinces north of the sea

He states that he has pacified various countries

The memorial was based on the idea of ​​a small China and aimed to demonstrate the nation's character, and it is generally believed that the "King Bu of Wa" who issued it was Emperor Yuryaku

"Kehito" here is thought to refer to the Emishi, and that it was later written as "Soga no Emishi" as "Soga Toyoura Kehito," and was also used in the names of high-ranking officials and court nobles such as "Ono no Emishi" and "Saeki no Imaemishi."

Regardless of the specificity of the numbers found in King Bu of Wa's memorial, it is noteworthy that the Emishi's sphere of influence is clearly stated as "East."

Expansion of territory under the Ritsuryo system from the Asuka period

From the mid- to late 6th century, Yamato's area of ​​rule expanded further, and according to the historical record "Sendai Kuji Hongi," during this period, a position called "Kuni no Miyatsuko (Kuni no Miyatsuko/Kokuzo)" was established to oversee local administration, and its number reached as many as 130

At this stage, the northernmost kuni no miyatsuko on Honshu Island were located in the Watari and Igu regions in the southernmost part of Miyagi Prefecture, and up to the middle of the Echigo Plain, which stretched from central to northern Niigata Prefecture, and they were not established in the entire Yamagata Prefecture or the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture

It can be said that the area north of the northernmost limit of the Kuni no Miyatsuko region mentioned above was generally recognized as Emishi land at that time

As the Taika Reforms of 645 advanced the establishment of a Ritsuryo state system, land allocation and tax collection were implemented within the areas under its control, and the Imperial Court's management of the Tohoku region became even more fully-fledged

Although there are no records of any major Emishi counterattacks throughout the 7th century, castle and fence government offices were established one after another, as if to push up the northern limit of the territory previously occupied by kuni no miyatsuko

The Josaku government offices were not purely government offices, but also had the characteristics of military bases with defensive mechanisms, and housed immigrants known as "sakuko."

This meant that there was an aspect to it that assumed a policy of assimilation of the surrounding regions, and it also served as a base for expanding the area of ​​control

In this way, measures were taken to gradually absorb the Emishi under the rule of the Imperial Court, but as the 8th century began, friction between the two parties gradually became more apparent

, established a new county called "Dewa County" in the Shonai region of present-day Yamagata Prefecture in 708

However, this is thought to have strengthened the resentment of the local Emishi, and from then on there were frequent attacks on Sakado and others in Dewa

For this reason, the following year, in the second year of the Wadō era (709), the Imperial Court dispatched an army to suppress the rebellion, dispatching Kose no Maro, the General of the Eastern Mutsu Region, to the Mutsu region, and Saeki no Iwayu, the General of the Conquest of the Echigo Emishi Region, to the Echigo region

In particular, the latter "conquering the Emishi after Echigo ," suggesting that the Emishi in this area were taking concrete action.

From this point on, the Imperial Court began to classify any armed uprisings by the Emishi as "rebellions," and their influence was further strengthened by military action such as sending troops

The Nara period

In 710, the third year of the Wadō era, the capital was moved from Fujiwara-kyō to Heijo-kyō, marking the beginning of the Nara period. The following year, the Emishi chiefs of the Mutsu region were given the surname "Kimi" (Kimi). This meant that they were treated as equal citizens of Yamato, with records in their family registers, grants of land, and tax obligations

The spelling of "kimi" was changed to "ko" in the third year of Tenpyo-hoji (759), and this also applies to Aterui's "Otomo-ko" and More's "Bangu-ko

Throughout the Nara period, an increasing number of Emishi tribes chose to join the Imperial Court and become citizens of Yamato, but at the same time, there was also a steady increase in clashes that were recorded as "rebellions" in the Imperial Court's historical records as a result of their stubborn resistance

It is easy to imagine that the Emishi resistance gradually grew in scale and expanded into a sort of anti-imperial coalition organization

The Imperial Court also began to build fortified defensive structures in various places, and troops led by "Seii Shogun" (General of the Barbarians) and "Chindi Shogun" (General of the Divine Powers), who were originally non-official officials with temporary posts, were frequently dispatched

A permanent military government was established in Mutsu, which was positioned as a particularly important base in the Tohoku region, and it was called "Mutsu Chinsho" "Taga Castle" (Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture) was built by Ono Azumahito in the 1st year of the Jinki era (724), the functions were eventually transferred there, and by the Tenpyo era (729-749), it came to be called "Chinjufu."

The naval bases had standing military forces called "Chinpei," and Mutsu had a maximum of seven military corps, far more than any other province. The peak number of Chinpei was around 3,800 in 810, which shows how much military power was needed against the Emishi

The "Thirty-Eight Years' War" in the Ancient Northeast

Tensions between the Emishi and the Imperial Court, which was increasing pressure on them to govern the Tohoku region, eventually reached a peak, and a period that could be described as a constant state of war continued from 774 (Hōki 5) to 811 (Kōnin 2)

This the "Thirty-eight Years' War" or the "Thirty-eight Riots," but in this article we will use the former term.

Below are some of the major battles during that period

The riots of 774

As we have already mentioned, the Emishi forces, who were opposed to the expansion of the Imperial Court's control, were intensifying their resistance, and the incident that is said to have marked the beginning of the Thirty-Eight Years' War was the "Attack on Monono Castle" .

The Shoku Nihongi records that Monou Castle, a fortress in Monou County, Mutsu Province, located in what is now Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, the "Kaido Emishi," and that the castle was in imminent danger of being partially captured. This was recorded in the entry for July, Jinju, year 5 of the Hoki era.

The Kaido Emishi are said to refer to the Emishi living along the Sanriku coast and in the lower reaches of the Kitakami River, and it is clear that their influence was perceived as a general term for each region

Prior to this, there was an incident in which the Emishi, who had been visiting Heijo-kyo every year to pay tribute, except for those from Dewa, did not show up for the New Year's ceremony.Then, over the summer, an uprising by the Emishi of the Kaido region led to a situation in which agricultural work could not be carried out in order to maintain peace

The then Guardian Shogun, Otomo Suruga Maro, petitioned Emperor Konin to suppress the rebellion, but the Emperor rejected it. However, after another petition by Suruga Maro, permission was granted, but shortly afterwards, the Emishi of the Kaido region burned down the bridge, blocking the route of transportation and leading to the capture of the western enclosure of Monou Castle

Upon receiving this report, the Imperial Court issued an order to have reinforcements on standby, but strangely enough, in August of the same year, Suruga Maro reported that the military operation should be canceled, citing the fact that the damage was not great and that there was no advantage to operating at a time when vegetation was lush

This angered Emperor Konin, who reprimanded Suruga Maro, who followed orders to invade and take control of Toyama Village in the Emishi region of the Kaido (present-day Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture). It is said that the battle turned into a large-scale one in which the nearly 1,800 soldiers who took part were awarded ranks, and Suruga Maro and his allies were promoted

The riots of 780

the Korehari no Kimi Azamaro Rebellion broke out, in which a powerful Emishi chieftain who had been subservient to the Imperial Court rose up in rebellion

This was a major incident in which the Emishi Ishimaro, who was the Dairyo (the highest rank of county governor) of Konoha County in Mutsu Province, killed Kino Hirozumi and Michishima no Otate, who were stationed at Konoha Castle (present-day Kurihara City, Miyazaki Prefecture), and then attacked and burned down Taga Castle, where the naval base was located .

The defection of a man who was thought to be completely on the side of the Imperial Court, given his Yamato-sounding name, Ikomaro, his position, and the highest official rank for a local clan leader, Junior Fifth Rank, Lower, is thought to have caused a considerable shock

The Shoku Nihongi cites the resentment towards the discriminatory treatment that Ikomaro had received as the reason for the rebellion, but this suggests that the governing system was not perfect and that the relationships were fragile and prone to resentment

Ikumaro was never arrested by the Imperial Court, and his name never appeared in any subsequent records

[Series] What is the ancient Emishi hero Aterui and the 38-year war in Tohoku?

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

The Ancient Emishi Hero Aterui and the 38-Year Tohoku War: Part 1 | The Hero of Isawa who Defeated the Imperial Army of Yamato

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/50276

First, while we may refer to the term "Japan" in general, it is well known that its scope has gradually shifted over time. For example, Hokkaido was confirmed as Japanese territory in 1869 (Meiji 2), and Okinawa, which had been under American rule after the Pacific War, was returned to Japan in 1972 (Showa 47). Even in ancient times, there was no clear national division called "Japan," and there were people living in areas of the archipelago beyond the reach of Yamato rule. This included people called "Emishi" who lived in the eastern and northeastern regions. As far back as the Nihon Shoki, the preface to the enthronement of Emperor Jimmu, mentions "Aisha...".

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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

The Ancient Emishi Hero Aterui and the 38-Year Tohoku War [Part 2] | Major Battles in Ancient Tohoku and Their History

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/50280

Why did the ancient Tohoku region become a battlefield? As we've seen, Aterui and the other Emishi were engaged in a long battle with the Yamato army, but why did the Tohoku region have to become a battlefield in the first place? First, as Yamato expanded its power as a nation, it sought to bring the various peoples living in the archipelago under its control. This likely included territorial expansion, land for production bases, and the acquisition of economic infrastructure such as unique products and resources. Aterui's name first appears around the end of the Nara period, but perhaps even earlier, in the 8th...

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

The Ancient Emishi Hero Aterui and the 38-Year Tohoku War [Part 2] | Did Aterui End His Life in Present-Day Osaka Prefecture?

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/50285

The Conquest of the Emishi from 789 to 811 and its End Following the Ikomaro Rebellion, the Imperial Court further increased military pressure on the Emishi, frequently resorting to large-scale military action. One such campaign, known as the "Conquest of the Emishi in 789" around the current Taga Castle ruins (Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture), is recorded as one such example. Records indicate that the Imperial Court ordered the consolidation of over 52,800 troops at Taga Castle the previous year, along with the preparation of provisions and other supplies, among other massive military preparations. Aterui's name first appears in historical records at the Battle of Sufuku during the Conquest of the Emishi in 789, where he personally took command of the battle...

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Koroku Obito ( historical writer and novelist )

・Original text for Seibido Publishing's "Enjoy looking at the Heian period picture encyclopedia."
・"The Land of Star Reading" won an honorable mention in the 3rd Shosoin Misato Literary Award of the West.
・"Io-san's Bride Meal" won
an honorable mention in Everystar's "Delicious Time." ・"Swordsman's Message" won the "9th History and Period Novel Grand Prize" and the "Entertainment Swordsman Award" (plans to publish it as a book are currently underway).
・5th Dan in Iaido and 4th Dan in Jodo.

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