ARCHAEOLOGIA JAPONICA

Early Modern
AKAMATSU Waka1
Fiscal 2015 continued to see many studies on early modern archaeology. The ﬁscal
2015 Nara Convention of the Japanese Archaeological Association had a sectional
research presentation session under the theme “castles and cities in transitional phases
between medieval and early modern,” trying to grasp turning points from medieval toearly modern from excavation and research results of castles and castle towns. Viewing
research results of castles and castle towns mentioned in this article, this attempt seems
effective.
Many works on castles were related to designation as historical sites or organizations.
Excavation research and site tours were conducted for castle remains of Yonagojo,Okayamajo, Fushimijo, Osakajo, Fukuijo, Nagoyajo, and Toyamajo. Study meetings andsymposiums with a castle theme was active. For Matsuejo castle, a symposium washeld in Tokyo and Osaka to commemorate nomination of the castle tower as a nationaltreasure. Also, ﬁscal 2015 was the 400-year anniversary since the Summer Campaign of
the Siege of Osaka when Osakajo castle and its castle town were burned down. Eventswere planned in relation, and a special exhibition “Osaka: Kokogaku ga Kataru Kinsei
Toshi (Osaka: the Early Modern City in Archaeology)” was held at the Osaka Museumof History to commemorate the 400th year since the Summer Campaign. It has been 30years since excavation research has begun, and its real image is becoming clear. As forcastle town study, excavations were active for Osakajo castle town and within Edojo
castle. On the other hand, excavation was conducted for castle towns other than bigcities such as the castle towns of Matsuejo, Shingujo, Himejijo, and the administrative
headquarters (jinya) of Asada Domain, revealing their various aspects.
As for a study meeting on “machiya,” Edo Iseki Kenkyukai held the 29th convention
in which aspects of “choninchi” continued to be discussed as in last ﬁscal year. Asfor excavation research, the 368th excavation of Itamigocho site yielded features forearly modern oil pressing. Although Edo period oil pressing was known from pictures,
excavated examples of features are rare, and it was an important discovery to learn thestructure of early modern oil pressing.
1 Contact address not disclosed

E-mail address not disclosed

JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 5 (2017): 70–71© Japanese Archaeological Association70

JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 5 (2017): 70–71

TRENDS ●●●●IN ARCHAEOLOGYTITLE ●●●●IN JAPANAs for production sites, excavation research was conducted due to the organizationof historical sites such as Mietsu Naval Yard and Tomioka Silk Mill that have beenregistered as UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as many kiln sites. Since kiln
remains of Kyoyaki ware are located within a big city, there are only a few excavatedexamples, and survey and trial excavation was conducted on a few kilns. Survey research
was conducted on Sumiyama Kiln in 2005 and 2006 by Research Institute of History,Otemae University, and a research report was published in April 2015. In the report,
the technological lineage of Kyoyaki ware was discussed compared to climbing kilns
and tools of Bizen, Seto, and Mino. Other than the above mentioned, excavation wasconducted on the climbing kiln of Akahatayamamoto, which is considered to have given
technological inﬂuence to Kyoyaki ware, and Nipposhashita kiln remains which producedNabashimayaki wares.
As for ceramic study, outstanding work was on distribution and composition. As forresearch conventions, Toyo Toji Gakkai held its 43rd convention “Bizenyaki: Kako toMirai wo Kangaeru (Bizenyaki: Past and Future),” and Kinsei Toji Kenkyukai held its
6th convention “Kinsei Bizen Toji Kenkyu no Shomondai: Edo Zenki no Haiki Nendai gaWakaru Shinshiryo wo Chushintoshite (Problems of Early Modern Bizen Ceramic Study:
Mainly from New Data with Discarded Years in Early Edo).” As for research thesis,
there is KOBAYASHI Katsu’s “Garo in Edo Period” in Nihon Kokogaku No. 40. Japan
succeeded in the production of white sugar by a mud covering method in middle of the18th century. Garo is an earthenware necessary for the production. Kobayashi examinedpots excavated from Edo resident of Owari Clan and he indicated grounds for them tobe Garo from their shape and excavated location. Many theses on ceramic distribution
was published in Toyo Toji Vol. 45. For publications, Yuzankaku published Chukinsei noTojiki Kokogaku (Archaeology on Medieval and Early Modern Ceramics) Vol. 1 and 2.
Thus, study trends of early modern archaeology in ﬁscal 2015 were overviewed. Thisﬁscal year continued to see active study on early modern cities such as castles andcastle towns. On the other hand, excavation research continues in the Tohoku region forreconstruction projects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and further cooperation andsupport is necessary.

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