Hinodeyama Tile Kiln Site

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Hinodeyama Tile Kiln Ruins are the remains of seven kilns from the Nara period, located in Shikama, Miyagi Prefecture, in Japan’s Tohoku region. The site has been protected as a National Historic Site since 1976.

In the 8th century, the imperial government extended control over Mutsu Province and built administrative centers and Buddhist temples around Taga Castle. Tiles for roofs were a symbol of this centralized culture, and the Hinodeyama kilns were among several kilns in Miyagi Prefecture that produced them.

The kilns sit on a hillside, close to clay and fuel sources. Shards found at the site show that tiles made here were used at Taga Castle about 40 kilometers away, as well as in other areas. There are seven kilns in total: six for roof tiles and one for Sue pottery. They are built into the slope and use a simple, underground form of the traditional anagama kiln. Each kiln is about 5 meters long and about 1 meter wide and tall. Shards indicate that cylindrical, curved, and flat tiles were produced.

After excavation, the site was backfilled and is now a grassy slope with a stone marker. It is about 20 minutes by car from Nishi-Furukawa Station on the JR Rikuu East Line, and public access is allowed.