Inaba provincial office, Archaeological ruins in Tottori, Japan
The Inaba provincial office is an excavated site containing the remains of administrative buildings that once served the region across multiple centuries. The exposed foundations and earthworks display the layout of structures where officials carried out their duties.
The site dates to the Nara and Heian periods, serving as the administrative center for the eastern territory of what is now Tottori between the 8th and 12th centuries. It represents a time when Japan was establishing its regional governance structure.
The artifacts reveal how people organized administrative work and communicated through writing in ancient Japan. Visitors can observe that this was more than just an office, but a center where decisions affecting the entire region were made.
Informational panels on site explain the layout and purpose of the structures found during excavation. A nearby museum displays recovered objects and reconstructed building models to help visitors understand how the administrative center functioned.
Excavations revealed a complex road network and dual fence lines that demonstrate how carefully organized this center was compared to other locations of the era. These architectural details show that provincial administration followed deliberate planning rather than being arranged haphazardly.
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