Trip to Another Kyoto: Tango Kingdom

Going 150 km north from Kyoto city, you'll reach Kyotango city which is located in the northern part of Kyoto prefecture facing the Japan Sea. The Tango Kingdom is said to have existed here from the third to fifth centuries. It had its own culture, different from that of the Yamatai Kingdom or the Yamato Dynasty.

The Tango Kingdom was an advanced area with technology and culture obtained as a result of its trade with the Chinese continent and the Korean peninsula by way of the Japan Sea. This can be shown from the fact that there are many ruins and ancient tombs from which valuable articles have been excavated.

First of all, the existence of the kings is shown from the fact that there are big ancient tombs such as the Choshiyama burial mounds in Amino-cho and the Shinmeiyama burial mounds in Tango-cho. These are 200 meters long. As evidence of trading the following items were excavated from ruins in the city: old coins used in the Xin Dynasty; 'Mirror with Geometric Patterns and the Four Spirits' dated the 3rd year of Qinglong (235) in Cao Wei in China. Bracelets made of glass have also been found at ancient tombs of the Late Yayoi period in Yosa county; they are presumed to have been made in Japan using raw material or glass products brought from China. It seems that there was an ancient center for distribution between the Tango kingdom and the continent.

Exploring these points, we are able to trace an ancient exchange of culture and people between the continent and are invited to ancient sight seeing.

[Bracelet made of glass]
9.7 cm diameter
Found in Ooburominami tumulus, Yosano-cho, Yosa county
The Late Yayoi period