“Was there really a manor here?” some might wonder standing before this stone monument. Today, we explore the story of Nagasunosho Trail. It marks a place with a rich history.
Nagasunosho, also known as Nagasu no Mikuriya, was once a shoen. Shoen were privately owned manors in Japan. This particular one existed in what is now southeastern Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture. It was part of Kawabe County in Settsu Province.
The story of Nagasunosho begins in 756 AD. At that time, it was part of Todai-ji Temple’s Tamana-no-sho estate. By 956 AD, it became an independent shoen. Being located along the coast, Nagasunosho had many fishing villages. Todai-ji Temple not only collected land taxes. It also imposed labor duties for maintaining the port.
This double taxation was hard on the people. The villagers sought refuge with the Kichijo-in Temple. They also aligned themselves with Imperial Prince Atsumi, Fujiwara no Tadahira, and his daughter Fujiwara no Koshi. Koshi dedicated Nagasunosho to Chojuin Temple.
Meanwhile, the priest of Kamo Shrine needed fish for daily rituals. He noticed Nagasunosho. The villagers, influenced by Buddhist principles against killing, welcomed becoming a temple estate. In 1084, Nagasunosho became associated with Kamo Shrine’s Kasuga Village.
The villagers became suppliers for the shrine. They offered fish in exchange for fishing rights. Todai-ji Temple protested to the Imperial Court in 1092. As a result, in 1106, a decree stated. “The land belongs to Todai-ji, the residents to Kamo Shrine.”
Disputes continued until the end of the Kamakura period. Kamo Shrine allowed fishermen and vagrants to settle there. This strengthened the shrine’s influence.
In the 14th century, the estates of Amagasaki and Daimotsu were established. However, the intrusions of warlords and samurai caused Kamo Shrine’s control to weaken. The name Nagasunosho remained in records until 1518 during the Warring States period. Yet, detailed accounts only exist up to the Oei era.
Today, the Nagasunosho Trail marker stands as a reminder. It marks the complex history of land ownership. It also reflects the lives of the people who lived here. It is a story of taxation, religious influence, and power struggles.