Hotta-no-saku, Archaeological fortress site in Daisen, Japan.
Hotta-no-saku is an archaeological fortress site in Daisen with an oval-shaped wooden palisade enclosure. The location spans approximately 87 hectares with a perimeter running 1,370 meters east to west and 780 meters north to south.
Archaeological investigations in 1989 revealed that cedar logs for the outer palisade were harvested in 801 CE during Emperor Kanmu's northern expansion campaign. This evidence directly links the site to this phase of early Japanese consolidation.
The site served as an administrative, military, and religious center with four ceremonial gates, government buildings, and metalworking workshops inside the fortified walls. Visitors can still observe how these different functions shaped the layout of the excavated structures.
A bus stop nearby connects directly from JR Omagari Station to the Archaeological Center. Guided tours are available at the site to help you explore the different areas and excavations.
The site remains nameless in historical records, as no documents have been discovered mentioning its original designation. This anonymity makes it a puzzling witness to a vanished administrative unit from the early medieval period.
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