Research on Restoring the Plan of Ishiyama-Honganji's Jinaimachi

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to make clear the plan of Ishiyama-Honganji's Jinaimachi and restore it on a map. Jinaimachi are temple compound towns from the late 15th to early 17th century in Japan. They have a characteristic form and most of them have walls or moats, and were primarily to facilitate defence against feudal lords (especially, Oda Nobunaga) and some old Buddhist factions. The spatial and social structure of this Jinaimachi has been studied for about 50 years principally by historians, and some effective proposals were preshnted by Yamane Tokutaro (1954), Ito Tsuyoshi (1987), and Niki Hiroshi (1994). Above all Ito's plan is considered most effective. But I think these have some serious problems in both position, and the plan itself. Therefore this paper attaches importance to both position and plan geographically. First, the restoration research of this plan is based upon the "Tenbun Diary" (written from 1536 to 1554 by Saint Shonyo, the tenth chief abbot of the Honganji-Temple), and "Shishinki" (also diary by Jitsuju, the chief of Junkoji-Temple, in the network of the Honganji-Temple). Preceding research used these diaries also, and this paper rechecks their details geographically. As a result, the precise arrangements of temple and six quarters (inside the Ishiyama) can be recognized. Second, in the point of position, this paper is based upon the name of sections and the old configuration around Osaka castle. Consequently it is clear that the positions shown in preceding reseoches are not correct, and have to be modified to the South. Third, this paper looks at the results of archaeological excavation. It attempts to make clear the spatial structure of this Jinaimachi From these three viewpoints, I suggest the plan in Fig. 8. It shows that the position of the centre of it, "Honganji-Temple", exists at "Terayama", the name of the section. It is a more suitable place for configuration than one in the preceding research. And I suggest that the port "Jinainoura" was separated from the town, and connected to it by a road. This structure looks like the precedent of Deguchi Jinaimachi, in Osaka Prefecture. This paper deals with only one Jinaimachi, but the Ishiyama Honganji's Jinaimachi is the most significant in the history of Jinaimachi s, and can point out the existence of the succession of plans from among Yamashina, Ishiyama. I am convinced that such a study of plan contanins some important elements in studying spatial and social structure of Jinaimachi, and about medieval towns and villages in Japan. © 1996, The Human Geographical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.