Get the latest tech news
Lost City of the Samurai
Archaeologists rediscover Ichijodani, a formidable stronghold that flourished amid medieval Japan’s brutal power struggles
On the outskirts of Fukui, a city of a quarter of a million people in central Japan, a handful of shops and restaurants, a smattering of homes, and a few rice fields line the Ichijo River as it snakes its way through a narrow valley protected on three sides by mountain ranges. A gate on the site of the yakata was built as a tribute to Yoshikage Asakura.Since most Japanese cities dating to the medieval period are still occupied, it has often been difficult for archaeologists to access deep layers that might provide clues to what they looked like hundreds of years ago. Artifacts from several samurai houses include (clockwise from above left) an imported Chinese tableware stand, a copper coin, and a gaming piece.While the yakata was the primary residence of the Asakura lord—where he slept and conducted his daily activities—the sprawling complex served many other functions.
Or read this on Hacker News
