The History of Iwate (to 1876)

• 13,000 - 6,500 BC - Incipient Jomon Period
• 6,500 - 4,000 BC - Earliest (or Initial) Jomon Period
• 4,000 - 2,800 BC - Early Jomon Period
• 2,800 - 1,900 BC - Middle Jomon Period. A large number of burial pits from this period have been found in Nishida.
• 1,900- 1,300 BC - Late Jomon Period. Clay figurines and nose- and ear-shaped clay artifacts were found at the Tateishi site in Oohasama Town. Masks were recovered at Makumae and Hatten.
• 1,300 - 300 BC - Final Jomon Period. Clay figurines, stone "swords", stone and clay tablets, clay earrings, potsherds, stone tools, bone fragments and a shark’s tooth were found at the Kunenbashi site in Kitakami City.
• 630 – Hakusan Shrine is built on Mt. Kanzan in what is now Hiraizumi. This shrine can still be seen on the grounds of Chuson-ji Temple.
• 712 - Mutsu Province, which before contained all of present-day Tohoku, is divided into Mutsu, the area East of the Ou Mountains, and Dewa.
• 715 - 1,000 peasant households emigrate to Mutsu from the Kanto region.
• 722 - 1,000 guards from various provinces are stationed in Mutsu forts.
• 724 - Fort Taga is built in what is now Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.  It becomes the capitol of Mutsu.
• 729 – Kokuseki-ji Temple is built in what is now Mizusawa Ward, Oshu City by the itenerant priest Gyoki. It may have been the first Buddhist temple in what is now Iwate Prefecture.
• 776, February - The Yamato army initiates an attack on the northern Emishi. 20,000 Michinoku forces with a vanguard of 4,000 troops assemble in Okachi in Ideha Province and cross the Ou Mountains. This was the first campaign against the Isawa and Shiwa, the strongest Emishi tribes. The Ideha force did not surprise the Emishi and by May the army gives up and returns home.
• 776, November - A second Yamato force numbering 3,000 attacks out of Michinoku with the same result.
• 777, July 7 - General Ootomo dies. His vice general Ki no Hirozumi succeeds as the General of the Peace Guard and as Governor of Michinoku Province. He is also appointed to the position of Supervisory Delegate the following year.
• 777, December - The Emishi of Ideha revolt. Saeki no Sukune Hiramaro, Provisional Vice General of the Peace Guard, takes his forces to the area and quells the rebellion. The central government sends 50 ships on the Pacific side of the front.
• 784 - Ootomo no Sukune Yakimochi is appointed to the post of General of Eastern Conquest (Seito Shogun) but he dies in 786 during the mobilization process.
• 786 - Ki no Asami Kosami is appointed to succeed Yakimochi as the new General of Eastern Conquest. He already holds important positions in the government including Councilor of the Cabinet, Secretary of the East Palace and Middle General of the Interior Guard.
• 787, March - The Battle of Sufuse Village – The Yamato army leaves Fort Taga, in present day Sendai, and marches to the Koromo River where they camp. In June, Kosami divides his forces and sends them North along each bank of the Kitakami River to Sufuse Village, in present day Mizusawa. The idea is to surprise the Emishi leader Aterui at his home there. Burning houses and villages along the way the Yamato army falls into a trap. The Emishi cavalry sweep down from the hills to the East and push Kosami's armored infantry into the Kitakami River where over 1,000 drown. In September Kosami returns to Kyoto where he is rebuked by the emperor Kammu.
• 791 - Ootomo no Asomi Otomaro is appointed Grand Delegate of Eastern Conquest (Seito Taishi). This post is renamed Delegate of Eastern Conquest (Seii Taishi)) two years later. There are four vice delegates including a certain Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, the son of a previous Peace Guard General who is also promoted to Near Guard Officer (Konoe).
• 795 - The expedition against Aterui and the Isawa Emishi began under General Ootomo. On January 1, the emperor gave General Ootomo a command sword. The expedition forces numbered approximately one hundred thousand, the largest recorded mobilization in ancient Japanese history up to that point. This depiction of Aterui is on an information sign in Koromogawa.

• 796, January 25 - Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was appointed to the positions of Supervisory Delegate of Michinoku and Ideha and Governor of Michinoku. On October 17th he became General of the Peace Guard.
• 797, November 5 - Sakanoue no Tamuramaro is appointed Grand General of Conquering East-Barbarians (Seii Tai Shogun).
• 798 - Kokuseki Temple is burnt down by Aterui and the Isawa Emishi.
• 801, February 24 - Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was given the command sword (i.e. a commission - see photo below) by the emperor Kammu for a campaign against the Isawa Emishi. He and his 40,000 troops were successful for he reported back to the emperor on September 27, "We conquered the Emishi rebels." He himself returned to Kyoto in October.
  
• 802 - Sakanoue no Tamuramaro returned to Michinoku and built Fort Isawa in the heart of Isawa territory. The photo below shows a model of the headquarters building at the fort. On April 15 he reported the most important success of all in this campaign: Ootsuka no kimi Aterui and Iwatomo no kimi More surrendered with more than 500 warriors. General Sakanoue went to the capital with Aterui and More on July 10. Despite General Sakanoue's pleadings the government, "...cut them down at Moriyama in Kawachi province."
• 803 – Fort Shiwa is built in what is now Shiwa Town.

• 807 - Kokuseki Temple is rebuilt by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro.
• 811 – Funya no Watamaro leads a force of 26,000 from Fort Isawa North into what is now Aomori and recommends abandoning Emishi lands.
• 812 – Fort Tokutan is built in what is now Morioka.
• 814 - Emergency supplies of salt and rice stored at Forts Isawa and Tokutan.
• 839 - A meteorite falls from the sky in Dewa Province. A large number of peasants in the area of Fort Isawa desert. There is heightened vigilance in Forts Isawa and Taga.
• 862 - A statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the healing Buddha, is made for Kokuseki-ji.
• 869, July 13 - Sanriku Offshore, Mutsu Earthquake (MK=8.6) and Tsunami - The castle (I suppose Fort Taga?) and many homes are destroyed crushing many people to death. The ensuing tsunami sweeps more than 1,000 people away.
• 878 - Fort Akita in Dewa is sacked by the Emishi.
• 939 - Fort Akita in Dewa is attacked by the Emishi but repulsed.
• 1050 to 1062 - The Earlier Nine Years' War - Abe no Yoritoki (d. 1057), chief of the six semi-autonomous Ezo districts along the Kitakami River and Martial of Frontier Defense, is defeated by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi (988-1075). For years Yoritoki has been ignoring the governor of Mutsu's orders, levying taxes at will, and raiding into the neighboring province south of the Koromogawa River.
• 1052 - Minamoto no Yoriyoshi is appointed governor of Mutsu. He holds this office until 1062.
• 1057 - Abe no Yoritoki is killed in battle. His son Abe no Sadato (1019-1062) continues the war effort.
• 1061 - Abe no Muneto is victorious in the battle of Fort Torinomi in what is now Kanegasaki.
• 1062 – The Minamoto forces are nearly destroyed by Sadato but reinforcements come from Dewa Province led by Kiyohara no Takenori. After bitter fighting Sadato is finally defeated by the combined forces at Fort Kuriyagawa in present day Morioka.  
• 1063 - Minamoto no Yoshiie (1041-1108), son of Yoriyoshi, called Hachiman Tarou, The Firstborn of the God of War, arrives in Kyoto carrying the heads of Sadato and others. He returns the next year with his captives including the sons of Yoritoki.
• 1063 - Kiyohara no Takenori is made Martial of Frontier Defense and given control of the six semi-autonomous Ezo districts formerly held by the Abe family.
• 1083 to 1087 - The Latter Three Years' War in which the Kiyohara family is subdued by Minamoto no Yoshiie. Family quarrels in the Kiyohara family contribute to a long period of corrupt administration forcing the central government to take action.
• 1185 - Battle of Dannoura (while far from Iwate, important). At this time two clans, the Heike and the Minamoto, are fighting for control of the government. The Minamoto, led by the brilliant tactical mind of Minamoto no Yoshitsune prevaile in this battle crushing the Heike. Because of his success and consequent popularity Minamoto no Yoritomo, leader of the Minamoto and Yoshitsune's older brother fears him and orders him killed.
• 1189 - Minamoto no Yoshitsune first attempts to foment a rebellion, fails, then flees north eventually finding refuge with the Abe's in Hiraizumi. In a reversal of fortune his protectors betray him to his brother. Rather than suffer the humiliation of defeat he kills himself after first killing his wife and daughter.
• 1230, November 14 - Mutsu Province Volcanic Activity.
• 1597 - Morioka founded by Nobunao the twenty-sixth Lord of Nambu. Construction begins on the Morioka Han Castle in present day Iwate Park in Morioka as well as downtown (下町). This painting of the castle is on a sign in the park.
• 1599 - Morioka Castle completed; Nobunao, 26th Lord of Nanbu breathes his last.

• 1609 - Morioka Castle Downtown (下町) construction completed. Post knobs installed on the railings of the Upper Bridge over the Nakatsu River. Yes, that was a big deal!
• 1611, December 2 - Sanriku Offshore Mutsu Ezo Earthquake (MK=8.1) and Tsunami - A tsunami in Nanbu and Tsugaru killed over 3,000 horses and people while 1,783 people died in Date.
  Morioka Han castle finished.
• 1615 - Prohibition against sake brewing without a license enacted due to widespread crop failure from cold weather; but only for one year!
• 1616, September 9 - Sanriku Offshore, Rikuzen, Rikuchuu Earthquake and Tsunami - There was an earthquake in Sendai and a tsunami along the Rikuchuu Coast.
• 1625 - Volcanic Activity.
• 1659 - The Morioka Horse Market opens.
• 1662 - Morioka and suburbs hit by a large flood - 1,000 dead.
• 1665 - Nanbu Han divided into Morioka Han (producing about 397,000 bushels of rice) and Hachinohe Han (producing about 99,000 bushels).
• 1677, April 13 - Sanriku Offshore, Rikuchuu Earthquake
• 1683 - Morioka Han's population reaches 36,000.
  Morioka changes it's name from Morioka (森岡) to Morioka (盛岡)!
• 1686, March 23 - Mt. Iwate Volcanic Activity.
• 1687, April 14 - Mt. Iwate Volcanic Activity.
• 1700 - Cascadia (North America) Earthquake larger than (M=8.5), Pacific Coast (Japan) Tsunami - An earthquake and tsunami similar to the 1960 Chilean event destroyed 13 houses in Miyako, set off a fire that destroyed 20 more and caused authorities to issue rice to 159 people. Waves reached about 10 feet high according to the geologic record.
• 1717, May 13 - Hanamaki Region Earthquake (MK=7.6) A large earthquake occured with cracks opening in the ground everywhere. There was widespread destruction of houses and shops.
• 1719, January - Mt. Iwate Volcanic Activity
• 1732 - Lava flows from Higashi-Iwate for about 2.5 km.
• 1755 - Famine. In Nanbu-han 49,594 people starved to death.
• 1783 - 1787 - Famine
• 1793, February 17 - Sanriku Offshore, Rikuzen, Rikuchuu Earthquake (MK=7.1)
• 1832 - 1838 - Famine
• 1869 - Battle fought in Miyako Port between the troops of the old shogunate and the forces of the new government.
• 1874 - Kozukata castle destroyed.
• 1875, September - The last wolves in Iwate extirminated by bounty hunters.
• 1876 - Present day Iwate boundaries drawn.