The Shirakawa Barrier (白河の関, Shirakawa no seki) is the location of a frontier fortification on the Ōshū Kaidō highway in what is now the Hatajuku neighborhood of the city of Shirakawa, Fukushima Japan, three kilometers south of the border of Tochigi Prefecture[1] The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1966.,[2] and is part of the Shirakawa Seki-no-mori Park, containing a reconstructed ancient house and preserved old farm houses.
The barrier is one of three built during the Nara period to mark the border between the territory controlled by the Yamato state and the Emishi tribes of the Tōhoku region of northern Honshū, although there is archaeological evidence to show that it may actually date to as early as the latter half of the 5th century in the Kofun period. Its first appearance in historical records is dated December 3, 835, at which time the barrier is mentioned to be four hundred years old. The barrier served as a border fortress against excursions of the Emishi to the south, and to regulate and control traffic from the central provinces of Japan to the north. During the Nara period, it marked the northern border of Yamato control.
By the early to mid-Heian period, Yamato forces gradually conquered the Emishi, and the barrier fell into ruin as it had become redundant. It had largely vanished by the start of the Kamakura period. However, memory of the barrier was preserved as an utamakura in Japanese poetry, metaphorically evoking images of distance, transition and loneliness. The site was lost until the mid-Edo period, when it was rediscovered by Matsudaira Sadanobu, daimyō of Shirakawa Domain based on a study of ancient texts in the year 1800. He marked the location with a stone monument and the construction of a Shinto shrine, the Shirakawa Jinja.
The site was excavated by archaeologists from 1956 to 1963, and the remains of a dry moat, a double wooden palisade and earthen ramparts were uncovered,[1] along with the foundations of pit dwellings and blacksmith workshops.
Haruo Shirane (2008). Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology, 1600-1900. Columbia University Press. ISBN978- 0-231-14415-5.
Edward Kamens (1997). Utamakura, Allusion, and Intertextuality in Traditional Japanese Poetry. Yale University Press. ISBN978-0-300-06808-5.
Donald Keene (1999). Travelers of a Hundred Ages: The Japanese As Revealed Through 1,000 Years of Diaries. Columbia University Press. ISBN978-0-231-11437-0.
External linksedit
Media related to Shirakawa no Seki at Wikimedia Commons
Shirakawa city official home page (in Japanese)
January 01, 1970
shirakawa, barrier, 白河の関, shirakawa, seki, location, frontier, fortification, Ōshū, kaidō, highway, what, hatajuku, neighborhood, city, shirakawa, fukushima, japan, three, kilometers, south, border, tochigi, prefecture, site, designated, national, historic, si. The Shirakawa Barrier 白河の関 Shirakawa no seki is the location of a frontier fortification on the Ōshu Kaidō highway in what is now the Hatajuku neighborhood of the city of Shirakawa Fukushima Japan three kilometers south of the border of Tochigi Prefecture 1 The site was designated a National Historic Site in 1966 2 and is part of the Shirakawa Seki no mori Park containing a reconstructed ancient house and preserved old farm houses Shirakawa Barrier白河の関Remnant of moat of Shirakawa BarrierShown within Fukushima PrefectureShow map of Fukushima PrefectureShirakawa Barrier Japan Show map of JapanLocationShirakawa Fukushima JapanRegionTōhoku regionCoordinates37 2 49 1 N 140 13 43 6 E 37 046972 N 140 228778 E 37 046972 140 228778TypefortificationHistoryFoundedNara periodSite notesExcavation dates1956 1963OwnershipNational Historic SitePublic accessYesNational Historic Site of Japan Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe barrier is one of three built during the Nara period to mark the border between the territory controlled by the Yamato state and the Emishi tribes of the Tōhoku region of northern Honshu although there is archaeological evidence to show that it may actually date to as early as the latter half of the 5th century in the Kofun period Its first appearance in historical records is dated December 3 835 at which time the barrier is mentioned to be four hundred years old The barrier served as a border fortress against excursions of the Emishi to the south and to regulate and control traffic from the central provinces of Japan to the north During the Nara period it marked the northern border of Yamato control By the early to mid Heian period Yamato forces gradually conquered the Emishi and the barrier fell into ruin as it had become redundant It had largely vanished by the start of the Kamakura period However memory of the barrier was preserved as an utamakura in Japanese poetry metaphorically evoking images of distance transition and loneliness The site was lost until the mid Edo period when it was rediscovered by Matsudaira Sadanobu daimyō of Shirakawa Domain based on a study of ancient texts in the year 1800 He marked the location with a stone monument and the construction of a Shinto shrine the Shirakawa Jinja The site was excavated by archaeologists from 1956 to 1963 and the remains of a dry moat a double wooden palisade and earthen ramparts were uncovered 1 along with the foundations of pit dwellings and blacksmith workshops See also edit nbsp History portal nbsp Japan portal List of Historic Sites of Japan Fukushima References edit a b Campbell Allen Nobel David S 1993 Japan An Illustrated Encyclopedia Kodansha p 904 ISBN 406205938X 白河関跡 Aizu Shirakawa no seki ato in Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs Haruo Shirane 2008 Early Modern Japanese Literature An Anthology 1600 1900 Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 14415 5 Edward Kamens 1997 Utamakura Allusion and Intertextuality in Traditional Japanese Poetry Yale University Press ISBN 978 0 300 06808 5 Donald Keene 1999 Travelers of a Hundred Ages The Japanese As Revealed Through 1 000 Years of Diaries Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 11437 0 External links edit nbsp Media related to Shirakawa no Seki at Wikimedia Commons Shirakawa city official home page in Japanese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shirakawa Barrier amp oldid 1199048276, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
