Established in 784, Nagaokakyo was meant to be a grand new beginning for Japan. Emperor Kanmu envisioned a capital city surpassing the old Heijokyo (Nara) in every way. Nagaokakyo, strategically placed at the confluence of the Katsura, Uji, and Yodo rivers, promised efficient water transportation for goods from across the land. Imagine the bustling activity at Yamazakitsu, the port southwest of Nagaokakyo, where ships unloaded their cargo. Nagaokakyo wasn’t just about logistics. It represented a political shift, a move away from the influential Buddhist clergy in Nara and closer to Emperor Kanmu’s maternal family’s power base. The city boasted advanced urban planning. Unlike Heijokyo, Nagaokakyo addressed sanitation with wells in almost every house and a system for sewage disposal using running water. The imperial palace, situated on a plateau, symbolized the emperor’s authority. But Nagaokakyo’s story took a dark turn. The assassination of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu, a key figure in the capital’s creation, and the subsequent death of Prince Sawara, Emperor Kanmu’s brother, cast a shadow over the city. A series of misfortunes followed: famine, epidemics, deaths in the imperial family, and a devastating flood. These events were attributed to Prince Sawara’s vengeful spirit. Fear of the curse led to the abandonment of Nagaokakyo after just ten years. The capital moved to Heiankyo (Kyoto) in 794, leaving Nagaokakyo to fade into the background, its grand ambitions unfulfilled. Today, Nagaokakyo is a modern city. Yet, beneath its present-day facade lies the ghost of a short-lived capital. The remnants of the palace, rediscovered in 1954, serve as a reminder of a city that could have been. The story of Nagaokakyo is a poignant reminder of the fragility of even the most ambitious plans.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to