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Tosaminato

とさみなと

Tosaminato

Aliases: じゅうさんみなと / 十三湖 / 十三
Pen Names: Tosaminato（historical reading (traditional)）, Juusanminato（modern reading）

Profile

Gender
Unknown
Born
Tosaminato (former Jūsannomura), Jūsan area, Goshogawara, Aomori, Japan
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
historic port, archaeological site, tourist attraction, trade hub
Active Years
1200-1600
Influenced By
Andō (Ando/Antō) clan, Ōshū Fujiwara clan, Kitamae-bune (northern coastal trade network)
Influenced
Noheji Port, Ajigasawa Port, Hirosaki Domain's port network

Awards

National Historic Site (Tosaminato ruins)
2005
Work: Tosaminato archaeological site
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan)
Result: designated

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Tosaminato ruins

history/archaeology

Tosaminato is a medieval port settlement on the western shore of Lake Jūsan in northwest Tsugaru, flourishing from the early 13th to the mid-15th centuries. Under the Andō clan it served as a trade hub between mainland Japanese and Ezo (Ainu); excavations have revealed artifacts and structures indicating domestic and international trade. The Tosaminato ruins were designated a National Historic Site in 2005.

tradeport cultureinteraction between Wajin and Ezo (Ainu)northern tradearchaeology

Bibliography

  • Murai Shosuke, Saito Toshio, Oguchi Masashi (eds.), The Northern Rim of the Japan Sea, Yamakawa Publishing, 2002.
  • Takahashi Tomio, The Century of Hiraizumi, NHK Books, 1999.

Legacy

Tosaminato is recognized as a major medieval port archaeological site; excavations have revealed harbor facilities and trade evidence. It is an important resource for regional history and northern trade studies, and its 2005 designation as a National Historic Site has promoted its preservation and research.

Museums

  • National Museum of Japanese History Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, Japan Opened in 1981
  • Nakadomari Town Museum Nakadomari, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
  • Goshogawara City (Tosaminato-related materials) Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Academic Societies

  • Researchers at Hirosaki University (archaeology)
  • Research staff at the National Museum of Japanese History

Archives

  • Goshogawara City Board of Education - Cultural Division archives
  • Agency for Cultural Affairs - Cultural Heritage Online

In Popular Culture

  • Featured in local tourism guides and cultural heritage publications

Quotes

  • Tosaminato became a northern hub of the Japanese archipelago's trade routes, and by the late 10th century Fukushima Castle had been established as a regional administrative center.
    Source: Wikipedia: Tosaminato

Trivia

  • Historically read as 'Tosaminato'; later readings adopted 'Juusanminato'.
  • The Tosaminato ruins were designated a National Historic Site on July 14, 2005.
  • Excavations have uncovered harbor facilities and numerous artifacts.