ARCHAEOLOGIA JAPONICA

Ancient
TAKAHASHI Nobuaki
Fiscal 2011 saw a heightened interest in studies related to natural disasters, influenced bythe Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 which struck the Tohoku and Kantoregions, as well as a prediction of a great earthquake along Suruga/Nankai Trough, forwhich serious tsunami damage is assumed. Therefore trends of ancient study are
discussed mainly from disaster related studies.
Outstanding disaster-related studies were ones by TANAKA Hiroaki, YANAGISAWA
Kazuaki, and YANAGISAWA Ryou, who tried to reconstruct disasters such as big
earthquakes, tsunami, or floods in the 9th century CE from traces left on archaeologicalsites. They also discussed people who faced the disaster and aspects of recovery after thedisaster. URABE Atsushi emphasizes that it is our urgent task to reflect traces ofearthquakes left on archaeological sites on research results, by regarding earthquakes not
as a natural phenomenon but a “disaster” for humanity. Development of “disasterhistory” study is expected in recent years. Archaeological study of “disaster history”
involves reconstruction of a disaster in the past as accurately as possible with cooperationfrom natural science, as well as efforts to reconstruct aspects of the recovery process byclarifying changes in local communities and people before and after the disaster. It isalso important that the research results will be utilized in plans to protect/reduce damages
from disasters or revival plans after a disaster.
As for capital city study, HASHIMOTO Yoshinori studied the transition of Imperial
Palace, which is the center of the capital, indicating a new method for capital study. Also,Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties summarized the latest studies ofHeijokyo, and AMI Nobuya discussed that a conclusion of capital construction sought by
the Ritsuryo nation was Heiankyo.
As for regional government office study, OHASHI Yasuo proposed that formation ofprovincial government offices goes back as far as the end of the 7th century CE to thebeginning of the 8th century CE and that construction was influenced by the formation ofFujiwarakyo. The formation was conventionally assumed to have been in the second

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Osaki municipal board of education, Osaki City, Miyagi 989-6188, Japan(ed-bunka@city.osaki.miyagi.jp)
JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY 1 (2013): 70-71© Japanese Archaeological Association70

TRENDS IN ARCHAEOLOGY IN JAPANquarter of the 8th century CE. Influence of Fujiwarakyo on formation of provincial
government offices was also pointed out by AOKI Takashi, and he suggested that thearchetype of governmental offices (kokucho) could be found in elements of Fujiwarakyu.
As for temple study, SUDA Tsutomu and SATO Makoto summarized Kokubunji studies
in the past as well as the latest excavation research, focusing on various problems at thetime of the original construction.
As for traffic study, OMI Toshihide reconstructed river transportation in Nara Basin, andhe pointed out the possibility that both land and water transportation were prepared for theSui delegate in 608 CE. Also, the study meeting of Kodai Kotsu Kenkyukai was held on
the theme of ancient transportation.
As for subsistence study, Yamanashi-ken Kokogaku Kyokai discussed the relationshipbetween cows and humans.
As for artifact study, there were a tile study from a viewpoint of East Asia and Japan, astudy on pottery aspects during the formation period of Ritsuryo nation, and iron tool
study by Kodai Kanga/Shuraku Kenkyukai. Also, a collection of theses were publishedon weapons, armor and coins as a compilation of the past studies.
As for immigrant study, there were studies on the historical background of Tago-no-hi
stele, as well as residents of immigrants in the East.

© Japanese Archaeological Association71