A journey to meet Empress Saimei

Japan HeritageTaburegokorono-mizo Site

The remains of a canal commissioned by Empress Saimei were found here. When plans were underway to construct a stone wall to the east of the imperial palace, the need arose for a huge amount of stone. Empress Saimei decided to have a canal built to transport the required material. Such large-scale developments were part of her vision of transforming Asuka into a grand capital. The public was critical of the canal project, which consumed the efforts of more than 30,000 people. But Empress Saimei’s vision was more far-sighted than her critics realized. The canal wasn’t built just to carry stones; it was also designed to be used for future irrigation and defense purposes.

Information

Address
Asuka, Asuka-mura
Access
5 min. walk from Asuka Daibutsu-mae stop on Akakame bus

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