Korokan Ruins Museum
Japan Museums: Korokan Ruins Museum in Fukuoka 鴻臚館跡展示館
The Korokan was a huge, guest facility in Hakata for diplomatic visitors from mainland Asia. It operated in ancient times, was recently discovered and has since been excavated.
Rulers in the Japanese islands had diplomatic and trade relations with rulers in China and the countries of what is now Korea since the dawn of written history. Hakata was an obvious arrival and departure point as the route from there to Iki, on to Tsushima, and then to the southern tip of Korea, which was the shortest and safest route.
The Korokan History Museum in Fukuoka
Partial reconstruction and excavations of the Heian Period Korokan in Hakata, Fukuoka
Official Entry Point
With the centralization of the state in the late 7th century, Hakata was designated the only official entry point into Japan, a kind of immigration control center.
A little further inland from Hakata was Dazaifu, the central government's western administrative center. Unexpected arrivals would have to wait in Hakata while messages were sent to the government in Nara and later Kyoto.
Some time might pass before permission was given for the envoys and their entourages to proceed, so facilities were needed to house and entertain the foreign guests. An old document from 688 mentions the facility. It was then called "Tsukushi no Murotsumi". Later the Chinese term "Korokan" was used.
Excavations
In 1987, while excavations took place before expanding a baseball stadium in Maizuru Park, the site of the Korokan was discovered.
This version was believed to have been constructed in the 8th century and to have been used for about 400 years.
Artist's rendition of what the Korokan would have looked like when built in the 8th Century
Interior of the Korokan Ruins Museum
Museum
The museum shows a part of the excavations and also includes a partial reconstruction. Artifacts excavated from the site and materials explaining the diplomatic missions are on display.
Evidence suggest it was both large and grand, needing to house large groups of visitors sometimes, and also needing to impress them with Japan's high level of culture and civilization.
To understand more about the Korokan and Japan's relationships with Asia in those times I recommend Gateway to Japan: Hakata in War & Peace, 500 - 1300 by Bruce Loyd Batten, a small, easy to read book about the subject.
Illustration of the kind of boats that brought visiting embassies to Japan in the Heian Period
Access
The museum is located north east of the Fukuoka Castle Ruins in Maizuru Park. Korokan is a seven minute walk from Akasaka subway station.
1 Jonai, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka 810-0043
Tel: 092721 0282
Open from 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. Closed over the New Year.
Free entry
Book Accommodation in Fukuoka
Guide Books on Japan
Korokan Ruins Museum was a guest facility in Hakata for diplomatic visitors from mainland Asia. It operated in ancient times and was recently discovered and excavated.
