Saiku
Encyclopedia
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
, arguably the most significant Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine in Japan. Sometimes referred to as the Bamboo Palace, Saikū served as the palace and public offices of the Saiō
Saio
A , also known as "Itsuki no Miko", was an unmarried female relative of the Japanese emperor, sent to Ise to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century until the 14th century. The Saiō's residence, Saikū , was approximately 10 km north-west of the shrine...
, an unmarried Imperial princess who served at Ise Shrine on behalf of the emperor from the Asuka period
Asuka period
The , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
to the Nanboku-chō period of Japan. After the collapse of the Saiō system, Saikū reverted to a rice-farming village that currently exists as a part of Meiwa Town
Meiwa, Mie
is a town located in the Taki District, of central Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan.In 1958, the town of Sanwa and the village of Saimei merged to form the town of Meiwa.-History:...
, Mie Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....
.
Saikū site layout
The ancient Saikū site measures 2 kilometres from east to west, 700 metres from north to south and covers a total area of 137 hectares, making it one of the largest historical sites in Japan. Sections of the eastern administrative district of the site have already been excavated and working is currently being carried out in the site's central area.The town was built on a grid structure based on Chinese traditions and consisted of several large blocks of 120 metres in length, surrounded by high wooden walls. Inside each block were buildings of varying size and purpose, built of Japanese cypress in the method of the day, using interlocking blocks of wood to hold the structure together. The buildings were rectangular in shape and built on poles dug into the ground, with a floor raised up to a meter from the ground. Some blocks contained a small well from which to draw water, or shrines or structures for food storage.
Saikū's Golden Period
Saikū reached its peak from the late Nara periodNara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
to the early Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. Many buildings and relics that date from this period have been found. Buildings that date from this time are of the Shinden-zukuri
Shinden-zukuri
Shinden-zukuri refers to the style of domestic architecture developed for palatial or aristocratic mansions built in Heian-kyō in the Heian period , especially in 10th century Japan....
style and were made of cedar and Japanese cypress and were constructed by interlocking wooden beams without the use of nails.
Saikū today
While digging foundations for new housing in 1970 in the Saikū area, a large HaniwaHaniwa
The are terracotta clay figures which were made for ritual use and buried with the dead as funerary objects during the Kofun period of the history of Japan....
horse was found, one of the largest found in Japan. The housing construction was halted and excavations began, confirming the site of the ancient Saikū town. Saikū Historical Museum now stands on the site of the original discovery.
Each year further excavations take place on a relatively small scale, with much of the Saikū site still untouched. As the ancient buildings were made of wood, which has long since disappeared, and the site was redeveloped several times over its long history, excavations can reveal several generations of buildings whose foundations must be matched together to form a view of the town's layout. Most focus is given to the early Heian period, when the town was at its peak in size and influence.
In addition to the museum, a reconstructed Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
residence, known as Itsukinomiya Hall of Historical Experience, has been built next to Saikū train station. Itsukinomiya Hall is not a restoration of a former building, but a reconstruction based on existing Shinden-zukuri
Shinden-zukuri
Shinden-zukuri refers to the style of domestic architecture developed for palatial or aristocratic mansions built in Heian-kyō in the Heian period , especially in 10th century Japan....
buildings elsewhere in Japan.
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