Niihari Gunga ruins, Archaeological site in Chikusei, Japan
Niihari Gunga ruins is an archaeological site with 52 building foundations distributed across the landscape in Ibaraki Prefecture, arranged in four distinct clusters. The foundations date from a period when this location served as an administrative center.
The site developed during the Nara and Heian periods and was destroyed in 817 by a fire that consumed stored tax goods. This event marked the end of an important local institution.
The excavated structures reveal how ancient local administrations were organized, with separate areas for administrative work and storage of tax payments.
The site is today an open field with stone markers indicating where buildings once stood, reachable on foot from Shinji Station. The walk takes about half an hour, so comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended.
This site was the first ancient administrative center of its type to be archaeologically excavated and studied, with field research conducted between 1941 and 1949. The excavations provided groundbreaking insights into early Japanese administrative structures.
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