TOPIC 2A

The growth of cities

This topic will deliver the following learning objectives:
1. to understand the formation of Kyoto, the capital for over 1,000 years;
2. to debate the social meanings of buildings and tools;
3. to understand how we can use both archaeological materials and historical records.
HYPERLINK TO BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Heian-kyo
The Heian Period
HYPERLINK TO TEACHING MATERIALS
The archaeology of Kyoto
Differences between buildings that reflect social status
HYPERLINK TO STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Students can be asked:
can we understand how archaeology and history collaborate to study the past?
can we understand the relationship of social class to different kinds of buildings?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Heian-kyo
The capital of Heian-kyo, later known as Kyoto, was established in 794 AD by Emperor Kammu. The
original site was 5,200 metres from north to south and 4,500 metres from east to west. It has been
estimated that the population was about 100,000 in the Heian period and increased to around 240,000
at the beginning of the Meiji era. In 2010, the population was 1,470,000.
The city was planned on a hierarchical grid system. Heian-kyo consists of 3 sectors: Heian-kyu, Sakyo
(left sector when viewing from Heian-kyu, sometimes mentioned as the western sector) and Ukyo (right
sector or eastern sector). Sakyo and Ukyo were divided into square lands. The basic unit is the cho.
One cho is approximately 120 metres square. A block of 4 cho is 1 ho, and a block of 4 ho forms 1 bo.
The Heian Period
The Heian period has 3 sub periods:

Early (8-9th century)

Middle (10-11th century)

Late (12th century)

The Late Heian is also known as the cloister period after the practise of Emperors abdicating and
continuing to rule from their retirement cloister.

TEACHING MATERIALS 01
The archaeology of Kyoto
There have been over 20,000 rescue excavations conducted by the Kyoto city government from 1979 to
2000. Yamada Kunikazu made distribution maps from these in order to investigate the development of
Heian-kyo. The numbers on a 1 cho grid indicate the number of excavated locations in which features or
artefacts of the Heian period were identified. Different tones on 1 ho units show different densities of
archaeological finds. Heavy indicates a ho-unit including at least 3 locations with a feature or artefact of
the Heian period. Light corresponds to 2 locations. The following teaching materials can be used to
answer the question Can we understand how archaeology and history collaborate to study the past?
Figure 01
Topographical plan of Heian-kyo
The siting of Heian-kyo on a river plain and the grid layout of the city are easily seen in this plan.
Figure 02
Plan of excavations in Heian-kyo city that have found Early Heian material
Carefully looking at the plan, we can see that it is more difficult to find remains in Sakyo (the eastern
sector). Empty areas in the north-east and south-east corner in Sakyo, and parts of the west end of
Ukyo, imply that those were undeveloped zones. Archaeology has revealed that few roads had been
built in some parts of Ukyo and these areas remained undeveloped.
Figure 03
An Early Heian building under excavation in Ukyo
A lack of disturbance in later periods means that postholes of buildings in the early Heian period are
often found in Ukyo (the western sector).
Figure 04
An Early Heian building under excavation in Sakyo
Postholes of buildings from the Early Heian period are usually disturbed by later building after the
Kamakura period. At this site, many buildings from the Heian to the Edo periods overlap each other.
Figure 05
Plan of excavations in Heian-kyo city that have found Middle Heian material
Empty areas of the Early Heian period were still empty in the Middle Heian period. We can also see that
there has been a steady development of Sakyo and stagnation or relative decline in Ukyo. Comparing
figure 03 with figure 05, we can see that Sakyo sector has 55 ho-units in total (19 ho thick and 36 ho
pale) in the early period, and 68 ho-units (34 thick and 34 pale) in the middle period. Ukyo sector has 45
ho-units (24 ho thick and 21 pale) in the early period, but only 44 units (30 thick and 11 pale) in the

middle period.
Text 01
An extract from Chiteiki, written in 982 AD (Middle Heian period)
I have seen east and west sectors over 20 years. West sector houses and people have decreased, and
become nearly ruined. People leave but no more are coming. There are ruined buildings but no new
ones.
The decline of Ukyo after the Middle Heian period is reflected in its description in Chiteiki a literary work
written by Yoshishige Yasutane, a noble of the Heian period.
Figure 06
Excavated foundations of a pagoda
New towns developed in the suburban areas in the late Heian period. Shirakawa was a new town on the
east bank of Kamogawa river. Written documents reveal that the Hoshoji temple there had a nine-storied
octagon-pagoda, 81 metres high. In excavations at Kyoto City Zoo, they found part of an enormous
octagonal hole, 1.5 metres deep, packed with tamped clay and large stones. This is thought to be the
foundations for the tall pagoda of the historical records.
Figure 07
Distribution plan of medieval finds from Kyoto
A similar distribution map by Yamada to figures 03 and 05 but for the medieval Kamakura period, shows
that thick grey zones concentrate in Sakyo.
Figure 08
The palace of the Emperor moved after the Muromachi period to Sakyo. Temple towns then arose on
the east bank of Kamogawa river, such as Kiyomizu and Gion. As the result of this uneven development
between Sakyo and Ukyo, the downtown of modern Kyoto city is located in the eastern sector and
eastern side of Kamogawa river.

STUDENT ACTIVITY 01
Key question
Can we understand how archaeology and history collaborate to study the past?
Secondary questions
Can we say whether the description of the Chiteiki written record is correct or wrong?
What alternatives can we suggest by comparing the written record and archaeological materials?
TEACHERS NOTES
The decline of Ukyo (right, or western sector)
We can confirm the stagnation or little continuity of land development in Ukyo in the 10th century by
using different evidence:

the description in Chiteiki, a written record;

less disturbance by later construction seen in excavations, in other words much better
preservation of the traces of buildings in the early stage;

the distribution maps from over 20,000 thousand excavations in which the total numbers of grey
grid squares show the relative decline of Ukyo.

On the other hand, Ukyo had more undeveloped green fields than Sakyo from the beginning of the
capital of Heian. If we take this into account, we may see not decline but a delay or stagnation in
acquiring land for development in Ukyo. As a result, urban development in Ukyo in the middle Heian was
relatively weaker than in Sakyo sector.
Excavations tell us that the whole area of Ukyo did not decline and there were some development areas
in the northern part of Ukyo. We can see that developed and undeveloped blocks were distributed like a
mosaic.
The description of a decline of Ukyo in Chiteiki is a simplified explanation of the total situation in this
period. A more precise interpretation is that Ukyo had a different landscape from Sakyo. As shown on
the distribution map urban development was spread over wide areas in Sakyo. Urban development
progressed in more limited areas in the northern part of Ukyo. A cause of this uneven development was
the more undeveloped nature of the area in the previous period.
Collaboration between archaeology and history can help to establish better and more precise
understandings of urban development. Thedescriptions in the Chiteiki emphasis that the decline in Ukyo
may reflect a kind of pessimism that spread over noble class. Political crises, natural disasters and
insurrections of local governors affected the confidence of the nobility. This atmosphere might be related
to the appearance of a new religion such as the Jodo cult (module 3a).

TEACHING MATERIALS 02
Differences between buildings that reflect social status
The exterior of buildings is important for showing social class, and therefore we can distinguish between
the class of buildings by the archaeological remains of these exteriors. The following teaching materials
can be used to answer the question Can we understand the relationship of social class to different kinds of buildings?
Figure 09
Model of the Burakuden (Hall of Prosperity and Happiness)
Buildings in Heian-kyo, comprised government offices and the imperial residence. The burakuden (hall
of prosperity and happiness) are important buildings as banquet spaces for the emperor. Buildings had a
foundation platform faced with hewn stones.
Figure 10
Green glazed roof tiles and golden roof ornaments
Roof tiles and ornaments such as these indicate that the building they came from was for high class
people.
Figure 11
A model of the shinden-dukuri style of Heian era palatial architecture
The Shinden-dukuri style was used by the high aristocracy. The model is of the higashi-sanjo-dono, an
palatial residence for the Fujiwara family (the most powerful family in imperial court politics in the Heian
period). This is a good representative of this style. As shown in the reconstructed miniature, the shinden
main building and other buildings were connected with corridors. A pond garden is located to the south
of the main building, and a south garden is enclosed by right-and-left corridors with gates. These
buildings had raised-floors and cypress bark roofing (hiwadabuki). The area of the site is two cho (one
cho, is approximately 120 metres square).
Figure 12
Excavated remains and reconstruction drawing of commoners' houses
Common people lived in small houses. These were post-built buildings with earthen floors and were 3.6
metres wide and 5.4 metres long.
Figure 13
Plan of the residence in Edo of the Lord of the Kaga domain
The feudal domain of Kaga in Hokuriku district was under the lordship of the Maeda family. It had two
sub-fiefs of Daishoji and Toyama. All feudal domains had residences in Edo city where they stayed to
fulfil the Sankinkoutai. This was a legal obligation to live in Edo and their own country in alternate years
to show their loyalty to the shogun. The residence Kaga was located in Hongo, north of Edo castle. This

site now lies underneath the Hongo campus of Tokyo University. From the 1980s ,10% of the campus in
43 locations with 56,000 square metres has been excavated. According to a pictorial map drawn in the
1840s, the Kaga was divided into five sections; palace (pink zone), garden (green zone) and three living
sectors for officials arriving from the domain.
Figure 14
Excavation plan of part of the Kaga palace in Edo
A block of buildings with closely-spaced stone bases was found in part of the palace. Double long lines
of base stones are thought to be a corridor. This set of buildings is believed to be the Umenogoten
(palace of plums) on the pictorial map.
Figure 15
Painting of a palace showing golden coloured rooves
A small number of gilded roof tiles with the mark of a plum flower were found at location 24 in the
excavations. This was the family emblem of the Maeda, and was also found with a large quantity of
normal roof tiles.
Figure 16
An excavated Noh stage at the Kaga residence
A square plan and pathway covered with white cement plaster would correspond to a Noh stage and its
corridor connecting to the backstage. The historical map shows that this would be a private zone for the
lord.
Figure 17
Banqueting dishes from the excavations of the Kaga residence
A variety of precious ceramic bowls for the tea ceremony was excavated. Blue and white porcelain and
antique bowls from China were favoured at that time. These expensive goods were broken in pieces by
fire. Fine domestic porcelains from Hizen in Kyushu including Nabeshima style and imported porcelains
from Turkey were also found. These included large dishes over 30 cm in diameter and a set of dishes for
a banquet.
Figure 18
Dishes for a banquet on held in 1629
A large quantity of unglazed dishes with traces of gold leaf were used for the banquet held on April 26 in
1629 (Kanei 6th). We know this because a mokkan (wooden writing tablet) was found with the dishes,
with the date written on it of Kanei 6, 3 gatsu (March), 19 nichi (day).
Editorial note check the dates 19 March or 26 April?
Figure 19
Rows of small rooms excavated at location 23 at the Kaga residence

Row houses can be divided into three grades according to the width of the rooms. On Figure 13, houses
in the right blue area are the first grade and room size is larger than other categories. Second grade
houses were located in the yellow zone. Third grade, small houses, are shown in purple. Rows of small
rooms at Location no.23 are examples of the third class, and this unit is approximately 200 years older
than buildings on the pictorial map of figure 19. The layout of the manor house was partly changed. The
outlines of small houses can be traced by small base stones, and are about 3.6 metres wide and 5.4
metres long. These were shared by a couple of low-class officials. Some of the small base stones have
marks of thin wooden poles, suggesting that these supported thatched or board rooves.
Figure 20
Cheap mass-produced porcelain bowls and dishes
Cheap pottery is of a totally different quality from porcelains found in the palace area. A large quantity of
porcelain bottles might be for drinking sake to withstand the stress of living away from home while on an
official assignment.

STUDENT ACTIVITY 02
Key question
Can we understand the relationship of social class to different kinds of buildings?
Secondary questions
What are the characteristics of the buildings and artefacts that would illustrate social status?
TEACHERS NOTES
Hierarchy of buildings
Residences for noble people in Heian-kyo occupied 1 to 4 cho, around 120 to 480 metres square.
Residences for common people are only several metres square. At the manor house of Kaga, the
residential space and garden for the lord and family occupied nearly half of around 300,000 square
metres. Roofing is a recognizable sign of status. Tile roofing is for buildings of high class or rich people.
Green glazed or gilded roof tiles are the highest-level kinds. In Edo city, tile roofing became commoner
for all people as one of the various fire prevention measures from the 18th century. In contrast, in Heiankyo, only the high aristocracy was permitted to have cypress bark roofing. Thatched and wooden board
roofing was for common people. In order to support the weight of tiles, thick pillars and large base
stones were required.
A garden is an important facility for the residence of high class people. The beautiful landscape was
used as a place for entertaining guests. The noh dance and tea ceremony were essential marks of
culture for high society. The Maeda family loved noh dance and sponsored the Hosho style. Tea
ceremonies and noh dance were held with a banquet for the entertainment the shogun on a visit in
1629. Lord Maeda Toshitsune himself played in the noh dance. The remains of a structure excavated in
the private space of the lord might be a personal training facility for noh.
Ceramics from the residence of a lord's family indicates not only high status but also the social function
of the residence. As shown by large size dishes and gilded dishes, this place was important as a kind of
ceremonial space in order to maintain social relationships among upper class people.