Yamashiro Province

On 4 December 794 (8 Shimotsuki, 13th year of Enryaku), at the time of the establishment of Heian-kyō, because Emperor Kanmu made his new capital utilize the surroundings as natural fortification, the character for shiro was finally changed to "castle" (山城国).

Just from Nara period writings, it is apparent that the "area" (山代国) and "ridge" (山背国) listings coexisted.

A European geographical dictionary published in 1697, well into the Tokugawa period, describes "Yamaxiro" as a "kingdom in Japan," with "Meaco" (Miyako, i.e. Kyoto) as its "capital.

"[2] The provincial temples included those where the resident chief priest was a man, and those where it was a woman in Sōraku District.

In 1925, a large number of old tiles were excavated near the provincial temple, and it is thought that these once belonged to the convent.

Map of Japanese provinces (1868) with Yamashiro Province highlighted