Oyamazaki Town History Museum

Overview

The Oyamazaki Town History Museum is located where Tennozan Mountain juts out most prominently into the Yodo River. It showcases the history and culture of Oyamazaki, a town that has thrived as an important transportation hub since ancient times. The museum is divided into four sections: Ancient, Medieval, Yamazaki Battle and Taian/Rikyū, and Early Modern. Each section features numerous valuable materials and exhibits from their respective eras. The Ancient section displays earthenware and pottery excavated in Oyamazaki, revealing the town's importance as a transportation hub even in ancient times. The Medieval section introduces the history of Oyamazaki, which prospered due to its sesame oil production. Holding an official warrant from the Ashikaga Shogunate, its oil production was protected from unauthorized interference. It flourished around the still-existing Riyū Hachiman-gū Shrine. The museum explains how Oyamazaki Jin'nin (local oil producers) monopolized the production and sale of perilla oil through photographs, ancient documents, and videos. Information about Yamazaki Sōkan, the founder of haiku poetry, and replicas of the Emperor Go-Toba statue at Mizunose Jingu Shrine and a portrait of Fujiwara Teika are also on display. The Yamazaki Battle section provides a clear explanation of the movements of Akechi Mitsuhide and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. For those who love Sengoku history, a visit is recommended in conjunction with "Hideyoshi's Path", a hiking course in the area. The Rikyū section features a full-scale model of the Taian tea room in Myokian, created to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Rikyū's death. While a model, the craftsmanship is remarkable, offering a glimpse into Rikyū's approach to tea ceremony. Since visiting the real Taian in Myokian requires reservations, this is a great place to learn about it first. The Early Modern section displays Edo period maps (Yamazaki Tsū Bunkan En-ezu), the structure of the local government organizations, and a reproduction of a prohibition order by Oda Nobunaga. Although a small facility, the Oyamazaki Town History Museum is an excellent introduction to the historical significance of Yamazaki, making it ideal for a first stop when visiting the area. Volunteers are generally present on the sofas in the reception area, and they can provide information about Yamazaki's history, the oil production, Tennozan Mountain, and more.