Ōmi Kokuchō, Archaeological remains of provincial government in Otsu, Japan.
Ōmi Kokuchō is an ancient administrative center with excavated foundations surrounded by moats and defensive earthworks. The ruins spread across a large area and reveal the ground plans of multiple buildings that once stood here.
This center arose in the late Nara period and served as the administrative seat of Ōmi Province for several centuries. It was gradually abandoned over time and now stands as an archaeological record of early administrative structure.
The site shows how ancient administrative work was organized, with buildings arranged according to their specific roles. Walking through, you can sense where officials conducted daily business and how spaces were divided for different functions.
The site is straightforward to explore, with paths running through the excavated foundations and main building locations marked. You can move freely through most areas and trace the layout of the former structures yourself.
Nearby is another excavated area containing remains of storage buildings that once held tax collections from the region. This discovery reveals how resources were managed within this administrative area.
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