The political system of Japan in Heian period

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H06698
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kurosu Yurie 東京大学, 史料編纂所, 助教 (20781438)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-08-26 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 摂関政治 / 平安時代 / 太政官 / 摂政 / 関白

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I revealed the following things about the features of Japanese government in Heian period. There were 2 ways of administration of the Grand Council of State (Daijokan), in Heian period. They were similar in the manners, but fundamentally different in the order. Also, there was the way of administration of the regency and the chief adviser to the Emperor. The way embodied their superiority over the Grand Council of State.
Sometimes, there was the certain amount of personal authority which enables a person to make political decision in Heian period. It was a part of the base of the society in the Medieval Period.

Free Research Field

日本古代史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

平安時代の国家の歴史上の位置づけについては、様々な見解がありいまだ一致を見ておらず、議論の進展のためには具体的な制度・システムの分析によってその複雑性・重層性を明らかにすることが不可欠である。本研究はその第一歩として、行政処理や儀式運営・事案対応という太政官の主要業務の検討から、政治意識や秩序、価値観について、一つのものが貫かれているわけではなく複数のものがバランスを保ちながら共存していることを明らかにしたものである。