Oyamazaki-cho (大山崎町)

Oyamazaki-cho is a town in Otokuni-gun, Kyoto Prefecture. It is located on the border with Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka Prefecture. It is the smallest town in area in Kyoto Prefecture. The town belonged to former Otokuni-no-kori (present-day Otokuni-gun), Yamashiro Province.

Summary
Yamazaki has been a focal point for transportation since ancient times because the confluence of the Katsura-gawa (Yodo-gawa River system), Uji-gawa as well as Kizu-gawa Rivers are located at the foot of the hillside stretching deep into the plain. The Battle of Yamazaki, in which Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI (called Hideyoshi HASHIBA at that time) defeated Mitsuhide AKECHI, was waged in Mt. Tenno in Oyamazaki-cho. The idiomatic phrase 'Tenno-zan wo mukaeru' (approach Tenno-zan), meaning 'to have a showdown,' originated from this historical event.

Water in the Yamazaki area from Yamazaki, Shimamoto-cho, Osaka Prefecture to Oyamazaki-cho, Kyoto Prefecture is known for its quality. The Myokian Temple in front of Yamazaki Station (Kyoto Prefecture) holds the tea ceremony house called 'Taian' (a national treasure), one of the two existing tea ceremony houses designed by SEN no Rikyu.

Oyamazaki-cho is famous for producing bamboo shoots. Traditional Kyoto vegetables such as Kyo-yamashina eggplant and potherb mustard are also grown.

History
725: Gyoki built a bridge to Yamazaki and propagated Buddhism, based in the area.

725: A bridge was built to span Yamazaki when Nagaoka-kyo (imperial capital) was established.

811: Emperor Saga paid a visit to the Kaya-rikyu (Kaya Imperial Villa) in Yamazaki.

861: The Kaya-rikyu in Yamazaki was designated as the kokufu (a provincial office in ancient times).

1200: FUJIWARA no Sadaie stayed at the oil seller's hut in Yamazaki on the way to the Minase-rikyu (Minase Imperial Villa).

1276: The sale of oil was dominated by the jinin (shrine dependents) in Yamazaki.

1311: The Retired Emperor Fushimi waived the seki-tsu-ryo (tax at checkpoints, 関津料) in Yodo for the jinin in Yamazaki.

1333: Enshin AKAMATSU in Harima Province set up a camp in Yamazaki.

1392: Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA gave Oyamazaki the right to prohibit the Shugo (provincial constable) from entering the territory.

1422: The Kokushi (provincial governor) in Mino Province allowed the merchants from Oyamazaki to pass through the Fuwa-no-seki (Fuwa checkpoint) for free.

1568: Self-governing village communities in Oyamazaki provided Nobunaga ODA funding for the war.

1582: Hideyoshi HASHIBA fought against Mitsuhide AKECHI in Yamazaki. Hideyoshi set up a base in Yamazaki thereafter.

In the Edo period, Yamazaki was granted autonomy as the domain of the Hachimangu Shrine.

1889: The three villages of Oyamazaki-mura, Enmyoji-mura and Shimoueno-mura were merged to form Oyamazaki-mura.

1967: Oyamazaki-mura became Oyamazaki-cho.

Politics
Government
Mayor: Sohei MANABE (as of December 5, 2006, the first term), who belongs to the Japanese Communist Party

Summary

Number of assembly seats: sixteen

Chairperson: Hikaru MAEKAWA

Composition

Geography
Peak of Mt. Tenno: 270.4 meters
Katsura-gawa River and Uji-gawa River (Yodo-gawa River system)

Economy
Oyamazaki-cho was known for agriculture such as rice farming as well as gathering of bamboo shoots. The number of factories and warehouses along the National Route 171 has increased since the beginning of the high-growth period. Among them are the large factories of Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. Tose Co., Ltd., a developer of video games, set up their headquarters and development center in the land registry. Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, however, is located in Shimamoto-cho, Osaka Prefecture, not in Oyamazaki-cho. Suntory Kyoto Brewery, on the other hand, is partly located in the town.

District
Aza ('aza,' meaning a section name) Oyamazaki
Aza Enmyoji
Aza Shimoueno

Transportation

Railroads
Tokaido Shinkansen: no stations in the city
Hankyu Kyoto Main Line: Oyamazaki Station
JR Kyoto Line (Tokaido Main Line): Yamazaki Station (Kyoto Prefecture)

Buses
Hankyu Bus Co., Ltd. Keihan Bus Co., Ltd.

Roads
Expressway
Meishin Expressway Oyamazaki Interchange
Oyamazaki Junction

Scenic sites, historic sites, tourist spots, festivals and events

Rikyu-hachimangu Shrine: yuza (oil guild, 油座)
Myokian Temple
Taian (tea ceremony house)
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum
Oyamazaki Museum of History
Dainen-ji Temple
Hoshaku-ji Temple
Yamazaki Shoten (Kannon-ji Temple)
Sakatoke-jinja Shrine
Oyamazaki Kiln Site (a national historical site)

[Original Japanese]