Omi Provincial Capital Ruins

The provincial capital ruins are located to the east of the River Seta between Sandaiji and Oe 6-chome [rokuchōme]. Provincial capitals are government offices that were placed in 68 locations throughout Japan under the Ritsuryo system [a historical law system based on philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism], and provincial officials from Kyoto played a central role to implement local administrative services.

The excavation survey revealed that there was a governmental office with a front hall and a rear hall with stacked-tile foundation in the Omi Provincial Capital. There were also side halls flanked on both sides on the south side of the governmental office. This is the first ruins in Japan that revealed the whole picture of provincial offices that used to be the center of local administration in ancient times.