In the Muromachi period, Kyoto was a gorgeous and longing city for daimyo and nationals in each region. Daimyo from all over the country who returned from Kyo to Kunimoto created place names that imitated Kyoto and built temples and shrines [ Little Kyoto . ] I started to build a castle town called.
[ Kyoto =Central ], There is also the meaning of showing off authority and power at the country, learning from the shogunate, and the [ capital of your own territory. ] Was also included.
Little Kyoto in various places
There are many cities called Little Kyoto, and Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture is one of them, 1468 . Kampaku and Ichijo Norifusa avoided the war in the city and drifted to this area, creating a city suitable for the capital of Tosa, which imitated Kyoto.
The city spreads in a grid pattern, Gion, Kyomachi, Kamogawa, Higashikawa There are also place names such as.
The city area is surrounded by the clear stream Shimanto River, and its natural appearance is very similar to Kyoto. For 106 years in his fifth generation, Tosa Ichijo avoided the turmoil of the Warring States period and continued to influence the influence of Kyoto culture.
It can be seen even in the current Shimanto, and it is a large-scale festival Ichijo Shrine Grand Festival that enshrines the successive generations of Ichijo Kaneyoshi and Tosa Ichijo. Taiheiji , which was used as an evacuation site for Mr. Ichijo Etc. are also famous.
Ichijo Shrine (Kochi Prefecture)
In addition, Yamaguchi, which was created by Mr. Ouchi, who has a great power in the Chugoku region, often played a role in Joraku, and was involved in the shogunate administration, is also a famous place as Little Kyoto. Mr. Ouchi had been building a town that imitated Kyoto since the early Muromachi period, but during the Onin War, the lords and others moved to Yamaguchi to avoid the war, and the culture of Kyoto blossomed. Western City ] Prosper until it is called.
Even in Yamaguchi City today, National Treasure Ruriko-ji Five-storied Pagoda And Imahachimangu , Ryufukuji Many precious temples and shrines such as these remain, and the glory of [ Ouchi culture ] ] Is being conveyed.
National Treasure Ruriko Five-storied Pagoda
Current conditions for joining Little Kyoto nationwide
Currently [ Little Kyoto ] It seems that there are three conditions to call yourself.
- There is a natural landscape, cityscape, and appearance similar to Kyoto
- There is a historical connection with Kyoto
- Traditional industry / performing arts
There are 45 cities that meet this requirement.
Little Kyoto cities and towns nationwide and their characteristics
| City of "Little Kyoto" | Special color |
| Semboku City, Akita Prefecture | Satake Yashiki and Machiya in the castle town of the Kita family. |
| Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture | Akita Bijin no Sato in the castle town of the Satake Minami family. The brewing industry is also thriving |
| Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture | A strolling garden and a school related to the Reizei family of the Kyoto Kuge |
| Murata Town, Miyagi Prefecture | A large storehouse and gate remain in the commercial city that connects Yamagata and Sendai |
| Kamo City, Niigata Prefecture | In the Heian period, the production area of paulownia chest of drawers became the territory of Kamo Shrine in Kyoto |
| Tochigi City, Tochigi Prefecture | The commercial city of boat transportation. Kurashiki and white walls. Carp digging is also a famous place |
| Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture | Izuruhara Bentenchi's spring water is a post town with famous water |
| Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture | Japan's oldest school "Ashikaga School" and Japan's best wisteria shelf |
| Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture | During the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Shigeuji's political center in the Kanto region |
| Ranzan Town, Saitama Prefecture | Valleys and mountains similar to Arashiyama, Kyoto. Land related to Bando samurai |
| Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture | Historic sites of traditional industries such as Japanese paper, sake brewing, fittings, and back silk |
| Yugawara Town, Kanagawa Prefecture | A famous hot spring that was sung by the Manyoshu and visited by a literary artist for recreation. |
| Mori Town, Shizuoka Prefecture | A castle town that has prospered as a used clothing town since the middle of the Edo period |
| Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture | The festival of the Daimyo procession in the castle town. Produces matcha raw material, Tencha |
| Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture | “Gujo Odori” sung and danced for 400 years in the castle town |
| Iga City, Mie Prefecture | A castle town built by Todo Takatora in a grid pattern during the Edo period |
| Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture | Kenshin Uesugi's Iiyama Castle. Toson Shimazaki "The Broken Commandment" model temple |
| Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture | The castle town of the second head of the Kaga Maeda family. The old townscape remains |
| Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture | Jinaicho, an ancient temple of Rennyo Shonin. Cobblestone landscape and Hikiyama festival |
| Ono City, Fukui Prefecture | Sengoku warlord, Nagachika Kanamori's go-shaped castle town |
| Obama City, Fukui Prefecture | A transportation hub connecting the continent and Kyoto. Many temples and shrines and Buddha statues |
| Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture | The ruins of Akechi Mitsuhide's Tanba Kameyama Castle. The beauty of the valley of the Hozu River |
| Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture | Izushi Castle Ruins and Machiya. Stone lanterns and turrets at the pier |
| Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture | Post town and castle town along the Nishikyo Highway to Kyoto |
| Tatsuno City, Hyogo Prefecture | Samurai residences and white-walled storehouses. Traditional industry of Ibogawa somen noodles |
| Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture | The ruins of Tsuyama Castle and the samurai residence in Ishigaki. There are many shrines and temples |
| Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture | Bichu Matsuyama Castle and samurai residence. Scattered heritage sites such as the Shoka Museum |
| Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture | During the Edo period, it was a port of call for Kitamaebune ships. Many wealthy merchants build temples |
| Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture | White wall warehouses and red roof tiles in the castle town. Shirokane no Yu, Sekikin Onsen |
| Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture | The birthplace of ancient Izumo culture and mythology. Cut of Matsue Castle |
| Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture | Taikodani Inari Shrine with red torii gates. The moat carp is also famous |
| Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture | Mr. Mouri opened Hagi Castle in 1604 and became a castle town of 360,000 stones |
| Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture | The five-storied pagoda of Ruriko-ji symbolizes the "Kyo of the West". Ouchi family remains |
| Aki City, Kochi Prefecture | Landscape of samurai residence. The birthplace of Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi |
| Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture | The public house moved to the Onin War and built a town imitating Kyoto |
| Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture | The castle town of the Kato family with 60,000 stones. Restoration of a wooden castle tower in 2004 |
| Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture | Akizuki Castle Ruins. A castle town ruled by Yoshitaka, the grandson of Kuroda Kanbei |
| Ogi City, Saga Prefecture | Creating a town that imitates Kyoto. Fireflies dance in the Gion River in the city |
| Imari City, Saga Prefecture | Prosper as a shipping port for Hizen porcelain such as Imari ware |
| Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture | The townscape where samurai lived on hills and merchants lived in the valley |
| Hita City, Oita Prefecture | During the Edo period, it prospered as a heavenly territory of the shogunate. Remains of a wealthy merchant |
| Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture | The playhouse "Yachiyoza" in the Meiji era is a national important cultural property |
| Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture | Many shrines and temples from the Kamakura period and Buddhist statues remain |
| Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture | The Obi district of the samurai residence where the stone walls continue is famous |
| Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture | Seven scenic gardens and orderly samurai residences remain |
These cities are a collaborative organization of local governments [ National Kyoto Conference ], You can call yourself Little Kyoto. Each local government preserves the traditional Japanese landscape and conveys the traditional culture of the area to this day.