History of ITAMI CITY
＊ HISTORY
Itami's history may be trace back as far as 4,500 years,when the area's first inhabitants arrived.
Rice farming began locally at the end of Jyomon Period.Then they formed many village around the present city area.
Then in the period of ancient burial mounds,many old tombs such as Gogazuka ancient burial mounds were built.
During the Nare Period,the Itami Ruined Temple,which was one of the laegest temples at that time,was built in Midorigaoka area and the priest Gyoki supervised such projects as construction of Koya Pond and Koyaike hospital.
Later warriors known by the family name Itami began to rule the area. In 1574,the warrior Murashige Araki attacked Itami and renamed Itami Castle to Arioka Castle.
Subsequently Murashige betrayed a military captain,Nobunakga Oda,and Arioka Castle into capitulation.
In the middle of Edo period,(from 1661) Itami area became of the territory of the Kokonoe family,aristocrat of the capital Kyoto,and under the protection of the Kokonoe family,Itami was flourished by the sake brewing.
The prosperity of Itami attracted many writers and artists,and Onitsura Ueshima,the well-known Haiku peot at that time appeared from this area.
In 1871,with the abolition of feudal domains,Itami incoeporated to Hyougo perfecture.
In 1889,Itami authorized as the town of Itami,then in 1940,Itami established municipality as the city of Itami with the annexation of Inano Village. In 1947,Itami merged Kamitsu Villlage and 1n 1955,part of Nagao Village was incorporated to our city.
