In the early 7th century,Toh (618-907) in China dominated vast domain from Central Asia to Vietnam.Wa and Korean countries (Shiragi 356-936,Kudara 346-663 and Kohkuri B.C.37-A.D.668) thought they had to make a strong country against Toh. On the other hand,these countries tried to learn Toh's superior systems of infliction and politics called 'Ritsuryo .' In 630,Jomei Ohkimi sent the first envoys to Toh. (We call them 'Kentoh-shi .')
In Wa,Soga clan had the most power. They killed Yamashiro-no-ohe-no-Ohji ,son of Syotoku Taishi. In 645,Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji and Nakatomi-no-Kamatari defeated Soga clan and showed the people their new policy.
Political system was gradually completed in the ages of Tenmu Tenno ,a brother of Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji and Jitoh Tenno , his wife.

  Taika no Kaishin (A.D.645)

Students who came back from Toh and Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji thought that they had to change political system of Wa. But Soga clan had the most power. Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji and Nakatomi-no-Kamatari defeated Soga clan.
Nihon Syoki says...( on June 12th, a welcome celemony was hold at Aska Itabuki no Miya. Enboys from Kokuri, Kudara and Shiragi were invited. Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji had a plan. While a man would read message from Korean countries, other men would kill Soga-no-Iruka . ) Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji was behind the palace with a long pike in his hand. Nakatomi-no-Kamatari and others were waiting with bows and arrows... Yamada-no-maro was going to finish reading, but killers hadn't come. He sweated and was trembling with fear. Soga-no-Iruka thought it strange and asked,'Why do you tremble ?' He answered,'I feel nervous because I am close to Ohkimi.' Seeing killers frightend, Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji cried and attacked Soga-no-Iruka with his sword...

They set A.D.645 as the first year of 'Taika,' that was the first era name in Japan.In 646,they showed the poeple the new policy that would nationalize all land and people and informed them that Ohkimi would rule them.
Afterward,on his deadbed, Nakatomi-no-Kamatari was given a family name 'Fujiwara ' by Tenji Ohkimi (Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji) to honour his achievement.
In 653, Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji moved his palaces from Naniwa in Osaka, to Aska in Nara, with Ohkimi's wife and officers.Kotoku Ohkimi was left in Naniwa, where he died,alone. After him, Kogyoku became Saimei Ohkimi.

  Hakusukinoe no Tatakai(A.D.663)

On the Korean Peninsula,Kudara battled against Shiragi and Toh. Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji sent his army there to support Kudara. However, Kudara and Wa were defeated by Shiragi and Toh. They said many people escaped from Kudara to Wa. Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji prepared to defend his country from attacks by Toh. He sent guards called ' Sakimori ' to Kitakyusyu and made bulwarks and banks.You can see ruins of these bulwarks on Mt.Shiohji and banks called 'Mizuki' in Fukuoka now.
In 667,Naka-no-ohe-no-Ohji transfered the capital from Aska to Ohtsu in Shiga.He became Tenji Ohkimi in 668.He made the first census resisters covering from Kantoh to Kyusyu in 670.

    Jinshin no Ran (672)
Tenji Ohkimi was dead in 671.After his death,a battle occared between his son Ohtomo-no-Ohji and his brother Oh'ama-no-Ohji .

His brother,Oh'ama-no-Ohji ,was once asked by Tenji Ohkimi if he would become Ohkimi.Oh'ama-no-Ohji knew young succesors had been killed by Tenji Ohkimi.He refused and became a priest.He moved to Yoshino in Nara with his family.

Oh'ama-no-Ohji won the battle and he crowned as Tenmu Tenno. He built his new capital named Asuka Kiyomihara-Gu in Asuka. After Tenmu Tenno's death, his wife Jitoh Tenno succeeded. She built a big capital called Fujiwara-Kyo in Nara.

Political system was gradually completed in Tenmu Tenno and Jito Tenno's age. Tenmu Tenno made the system. Then Jitoh tenno's age, it was written up as a law called Asuka Kiyomihara-Rei .
Ohkimi has been called 'Tenno ' and Wa has been called ' ' since their age.

  Stones, Kofun and Iseki in Asuka
In Asuka,you can see many strange stone objects. They are called funny names because of their shape.
'Ishi butai kofun' : 'Stage made of stone' It is said to be the grave of Soga-no-Umako.
'Oni-no-settin' :  'Toilet of giants'
'Oni-no-manaita' :  'Chopping board of giants'
'Kame ishi'  'Saru ishi'  'Syumisen seki'   'Seki jin'
'Kame' means turtle. 'Saru' means monkey. 'Jin' means human. We don't quite understand for what purpose people made them. Some have groove or hole. It is said that people poured water through them or used them as waterworks.

Asuka-Ike iseki (late 7C-ealry 8C) :  Asuka mura

In 1997,many reject, inferior coins and their ingredient were found at Asuka -Ike iseki. These coins were 'Fuhonsen .'(left; image from 'Toho')
This means Fuhonsen is the oldest coin in Japan. Before this discovery,'Wadokaichin ' had been thought to be the oldest coin in Japan. Also discovered, were over 8,000 of woodchips called 'Mokkan ', pieces of agate, amber, crystal, turtle shell, coral, glass, gold and silver. It is thought that there was a national craft center at this location.

Fuji no ki kofun (late 6C) :  Ikaruga-cyo (near Horyuji).
Two men were burried in a stone coffin.Gold plated crown, shoes, sord, belt, four millors and over 10,000 glass balls etc.,were found in this coffin. (picture from 'visual rekishi' published by TOHO)

Takamatsuzuka kofun (late 7C-early 8C) : Asuka mura

These paintings were discovered in 1972.
painting(left); People wore Kokuri style dresses. (picture from 'Nihon no rekishi' published by HORUPU.)

Kitora kofun( ? ) : Asuka mura

Paintings of star atlas, Byakko, Genbu, Seiryu and Suzaku (left) were found. (picture from Nikkei 2000/8/18)

Sakefuneishi iseki (late 7C; age of Saimei Ohkimi) : Asuka mura

A turtle shaped stone water basin(2.4m�~2m)was found in February 2000. It was found at the bottom of a hill, covered with seven alignments and stone wall.