[M-IS17] History X Earth and Planetary Science

[MIS17-04] Damage and Response to the 1830 Bunsei Kyoto Earthquake: Analyses of Diaris of Kamo-Wake-Ikazuchi Shirine

*kiyomi iwahashi¹, Natsumi Kusayama², Miki HAMANO³, Reizaburo Kitai⁴, Munehisa Yamamoto⁵, Junzo Ohmura^6,7, Harufumi Tamazawa^8,9, Haruo Horikawa¹⁰, Yasuyuki Kano^6,7 (1.Faculty of Letters, Kokugakuin University, 2.Graduate School of Letters, Kokugakuin University, 3.Graduate School of letters, Ritsumeikan University, 4.Faculty of Law, Ritsumeikan University, 5.The Foundation of The Kamoagatanushi Clan, 6.Earthquake Research institute, The University of Tokyo, 7.Collaborative Research Organization for Historical Materials on Earthquakes and Volcanoes, The University of Tokyo, 8.Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, 9.Kyoto City University of Arts, 10.Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)

Keywords:Kamo-Wake-Ikazuchi Shirine, Kamigamo Shrine, 1830 Kyoto Earthquake, Kamigamo Shrine Diary

This report is based on the Diary “Syaki-Kari-Tsuke,” a record maintained by the Kamo-Wake-Ikazuchi Shirine (also known as Kamigamo Shrine), and aims to elucidate the damage and responses of the shrine during the 1830 Bunsei Kyoto Earthquake that occurred on August 19, 1830.
Research on the relationship between Kamo-Wake-Ikazuchi Shirine and disasters includes Kumiko Mase's study on disaster prayers. From the perspective of the history of the relationship between the imperial court and the shogunate, Mase clarified that the authority to lead disaster prayers in early modern society fundamentally belonged to the imperial court. While it is evident that prayers during disasters play an essential role in religious authority, the role of shrines is not limited to this alone. The “Syaki-Kari-Tsuke,” document how the shrine flexibly responded to various problems arising from the earthquake. Among these, detailed descriptions of 1) confirming and reporting damage, 2) repairing damaged halls, shrines, and stone walls, 3) assessing and addressing the damage to villages in the shrine's territory such as Koyama-go, Nakayama-go, and Midorogaike, and 4) recording the movements of people, including merchants, entering and leaving the area, provide insights and convey previously undisclosed facts about the shrine's actions in managing the situation as a landowner.
Here, we aim to reveal how Kamo-Wake-Ikazuchi Shirine responded to the earthquake, with a focus on its relationship with the shrine's territory. The shrine promptly conducted a survey of the damage on the day following the earthquake and prepared documents for submission to the Kyoto Shoshidai, or Shogun's deputy in Kyoto. First, we examine the vocabulary describing the damage to individual buildings, followed by an analysis of the details of the damage through comparison with maps.
Additionally, due to water shortages before the earthquake, requests for the use of water from the 'Miike' pond had been submitted by villages in the shrine's territory. However, after the earthquake, the situation suddenly changed, and on July 19, flood occurred due to heavy rain, washing away bridge piles. At this time, the shrine used cedar trees to dam the water to protect the water gate of the 'Koike,' buried in landslide debris from the earthquake, preventing secondary damage. Although these responses were led by the Chief Embankment Officer and involved the monthly rotation of shrine households and blacksmiths, decisions were made through consultations in the assembly, primarily composed of shrine priests.
From the perspective of the “Syaki-Kari-Tsuke,” the shrine diligently executed its administrative duties, and it can be evaluated that the earthquake damage in the vicinity of Kamigamo was not as extensive. However, it is also considered that the established system of an assembly within the shrine facilitated effective responses to various requests from both within and outside the shrine, allowing for the successful execution of administrative duties. We demonstrate how the shrine coped with the earthquake's impact and examine the adaptability to natural disasters based on thes perspectives.