Naniwa Nagara no Toyosaki no Miya Palace (a palace in the ancient capital of Japan in the Asuka peri (難波長柄豊崎宮)

Naniwa Nagara no Toyosaki no Miya Palace was a palace in the capital of Japan in the Asuka period. Also referred to as the early Naniwa no Miya Palace, it is considered to be Japan's first full-scale palace architecture of the capital city.

After Isshi Incident (the Murder in the Year of Isshi) (645), the Palace was designed by Emperor Tenchi and others and Emperor Kotoku relocated the capital when that palace was completed in 652. Until it was burnt down in February 686, the building existed for 34 years in present-day Chuo Ward, Osaka City.

In 654, after the passing of Emperor Kotoku, Empress Saimei (a second accession of Empress Kogyoku) moved to Asuka Itabuki no Miya Palace. Another palace was subsequently built by Emperor Shomu at the same location in 744 (See the article of 'the late Naniwa no Miya Palace' under Naniwa-kyo [an ancient capital of Naniwa]).

This palace was located on the Uemachi plateau and, in 1913, several roof tiles with the jukenmon (concentric circle design) and rengemon (lotus flower patterns) were found during the construction of an army warehouse. In 1953, in the wake of the discovery of Shibi (ornamental ridge-end tile) in the vicinity of the location where the roof tiles were found, excavation and study by Naniwakyushi Kenshokai (Association of honoring publicly for Naniwa Palace site) got underway.

Today, part of the remains of Naniwa no Miya Palace has turned into Naniwa no Miya Historical Park which is being maintained to the south of Osaka-jo Castle. In that park, some exhibits such as foundations of the buildings constructed based on the remains of the early and late Naniwa no Miya Palace have been installed.

[Original Japanese]