Kobe dig may have found a road from Kiyomori's short-lived capital Fukuhara

Imagine a capital city that lasted about half a year. Now imagine finding one of its streets more than 800 years later. That is what may have just happened in Kobe.

The city of Kobe showed reporters the remains of a road on 6 November. Officials believe it is Goshominami-oji, one of the main streets of Fukuhara-kyo, the short-lived capital of the late Heian period.

What was found?

The road turned up at the Gion site in Shimosanjo-cho, Hyogo Ward. It is about 50 metres long and 12 to 13 metres wide, running in a straight line from northeast to southwest.

Both sides were lined with rows and piles of natural stones. The city dated it to the late Heian period (roughly the 12th century) from the style of pottery found nearby.

Why do they think it is that street?

The location fits an old diary. West of the road once stood Yukimi Gosho, a residence of the warlord Taira no Kiyomori, which served as a temporary palace for retired emperor Takakura and the child emperor Antoku.

The diary Kikki, written by the courtier Yoshida Tsunefusa, who travelled with the imperial family, says the emperor left Yukimi Gosho and first headed east along Goshominami-oji. According to the city, the positions match.

Hiroshi Hishida of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology said the road, together with old streets that survive today such as the former Arima Kaido route, could help researchers reconstruct the city's layout. He called it an important result for understanding how Fukuhara-kyo was built.

Remind me, what was Fukuhara-kyo?

In 1180, Kiyomori had Emperor Antoku and Takakura moved from Kyoto to Fukuhara, today's Kobe, to set up a new capital. The plan stalled after about six months, and the court went back to Kyoto.

Can I see it?

Yes. Kobe is holding an on-site briefing on 7 November from 1 pm to 3 pm. It is free and needs no reservation.