Nagaoka : : Japan's forgotten capital / / by Ellen Van Goethem.

• Superior document: Brill's Japanese studies library, v. 29
• Author: Van Goethem, Ellen.
• Year of Publication: 2008
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Brill's Japanese studies library ; v. 29.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (392 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

This is the first work to deal comprehensively with the historical and physical aspects of the Nagaoka palace and capital, which were constructed in the eighth century at the order of Kanmu Tennō, but abruptly abandoned after only ten years. New research and the information yielded by decades of excavation made possible this fresh reassessment of conventional theories of the construction and layout of Nagaoka, as well as the life and reign of its founder. It also examines the motivations behind Nagaoka's establishment and abandonment within the context of Kanmu's reign and personal convictions. In broader terms, this volume deals with the process of capital building in late eighth-century Japan, and the links between the Nara and Heian capitals.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Materials / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Introduction / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter One. Prince Yamabe’s Rise To Prominence / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Two. Why Establish A New Capital? / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Three. The Search For A Suitable Site / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Four. The First Phase Of Construction / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Five. The Assassination Of Fujiwara No Tanetsugu / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Six. The Second Phase Of Construction / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Seven. The Basic Plan Of A Chinese-Style Capital City / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Eight. The Nagaoka Palace Enclosure / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Nine. The Urban Centre At Nagaoka / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Ten. Another Transfer Of Capitals / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Eleven. Kanmu’s Centralised Power / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Twelve. Why Leave The Nagaoka Capital? / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Chapter Thirteen. The Perfect Site For A New Capital City / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Conclusion / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Appendix / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Glossaries / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Bibliography / E.M.A. Van Goethem -- Index / E.M.A. Van Goethem.