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About Ozu
History and culture
The primitive and remote ages
Menhir (megaliths)
It is believed that people started to live in Ozu around 10,000 B.C. It is rich in ruins and relics from Jomon and Yayoi eras such as Tago ruin. Besides, there is quite a wide variety of them and they come from different times. Around this time, when the food situation became stabilized, megaliths were worshiped. The menhir in Takayama, which is considered number one in the east, and other megaliths or complexes of megaliths were built in over 50 locations around the city.
According to the regional institution established by the Reformation of the Taika Era, Ozu belonged to Uwa county of Iyo and in 866 became independent to be Kita county. Kita county was divided into three districts: Yanogo, Kumego, and Niiyago (from “Wamyouruijusho”).
During the battle of the clans of Genji and Heike, Kita county was involved in the vortex of war. In 1185 Michinobu Kono entrenched himself in the Hiji Castle, repelling the attack of the clan of Heike (from “Yoshoki”).
According to the regional institution established by the Reformation of the Taika Era, Ozu belonged to Uwa county of Iyo and in 866 became independent to be Kita county. Kita county was divided into three districts: Yanogo, Kumego, and Niiyago (from “Wamyouruijusho”).
During the battle of the clans of Genji and Heike, Kita county was involved in the vortex of war. In 1185 Michinobu Kono entrenched himself in the Hiji Castle, repelling the attack of the clan of Heike (from “Yoshoki”).
The medieval period
The Ozu Castle
In Kamakura Era, Toyofusa Utsunomiya, the guard of Iyo (Ehime), governed Ozu area. He assumed the position in 1330, and the Utsunomiyas’ ruling lasted for 12 generations or 240 years. Toyofusa is said to have built a castle in Otsu JIzogadake. Reflecting the turbulent age, the lord was afterwards replaced by Naoyuki Ono, Takakage Kobayakawa, and then Katsutaka Toda.
The modern age
Portrait of Sadayasu Kato
Following Katsutaka Toda, Takatora Todo, chief vassal of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, moved into Otsu (presently Ozu) from Itajima (Uwajima) in 1595, and Yasuharu Wakizaka from the Awaji-Sumoto castle moved in and took over his place in 1609.
It is reasonable to think that the Ozu castle was remodeled to the modern-style castle during the time of Todo and Wakizaka.
It is the common belief that Todo made the foundation of the modern-style castle town by dividing the town whereas Wakizaka took charge of constructing the donjon of the Ozu castle, which has been restored to its original state.
To succeed Wakizaka, Sadayasu Kato was transferred from Yonago to Otsu in 1617. Since then, Ozu had been under the sovereignty of Kato clan for 12 generations or over 250 years until the Meiji Restoration.
Confucian scholar Toju Nakae, also known as Omi Seijin (Saint of Omi), who is said to have started Yomeigaku (a school of Confucianism study) in Japan, also moved to Ozu with Sadayasu Kato when he was 10 and lived until 27, while studying hard and teaching the scripture “Daigaku” to disciples. Toju taught “the way of a person” and his teaching is still deeply embedded in the minds of Ozu people.
It is reasonable to think that the Ozu castle was remodeled to the modern-style castle during the time of Todo and Wakizaka.
It is the common belief that Todo made the foundation of the modern-style castle town by dividing the town whereas Wakizaka took charge of constructing the donjon of the Ozu castle, which has been restored to its original state.
To succeed Wakizaka, Sadayasu Kato was transferred from Yonago to Otsu in 1617. Since then, Ozu had been under the sovereignty of Kato clan for 12 generations or over 250 years until the Meiji Restoration.
Confucian scholar Toju Nakae, also known as Omi Seijin (Saint of Omi), who is said to have started Yomeigaku (a school of Confucianism study) in Japan, also moved to Ozu with Sadayasu Kato when he was 10 and lived until 27, while studying hard and teaching the scripture “Daigaku” to disciples. Toju taught “the way of a person” and his teaching is still deeply embedded in the minds of Ozu people.
The modern period
Ozu Aka-Renga-Kan (Ozu red brick building)
Ozu produced quite a few great people as pioneers of Meiji Era: Harumichi Yano, Japanese classical scholar; Susumu Kodo, dedicated himself to enactment of Meiji Constitution; Morobuchi Mise, medical scholar, served Philipp Franz von Siebold; Shigeaya Takeda, designed Hakodate Goryokaku.
Handmade Japanese paper, Japan wax, and silk-reeling used to be the major industries. Even now, the Japanese paper is well known as Ozu-washi, and the silk yarn as fine quality Iyo raw silk.
Ozu originally developed around agriculture utilizing fertile soil brought by the Hijikawa River. In recent years, however, the number of workers who engage in the tertiary industries has come to exceed 50%.
Handmade Japanese paper, Japan wax, and silk-reeling used to be the major industries. Even now, the Japanese paper is well known as Ozu-washi, and the silk yarn as fine quality Iyo raw silk.
Ozu originally developed around agriculture utilizing fertile soil brought by the Hijikawa River. In recent years, however, the number of workers who engage in the tertiary industries has come to exceed 50%.
- public office
- 690-1 Ozu Ozu-shi 795-8601,Japan Tel : 0893-24-2111 Fax : 0893-24-2228