Nagato Province

Nagato Province (長門国, Nagato no Kuni, Japanese pronunciation: [naꜜ.ɡa.to (no kɯ.ɲi), -ŋa.to-]^[1]), often called Chōshū (長州), was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture.^[2] Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces.

History

Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimonoseki, Hagi was the seat of the Chōshū han (fief or domain) during the Edo period. Nagato was ruled by the Mōri clan before and after the Battle of Sekigahara.

In 1871 with the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures (Haihan Chiken) after the Meiji Restoration, the provinces of Nagato and Suō were combined to eventually establish Yamaguchi Prefecture. At the same time, the province continued to exist for some purposes. For example, Nagato is explicitly recognized in treaties in 1894 (a) between Japan and the United States and (b) between Japan and the United Kingdom.^[3]

Historically, the oligarchy that came into power after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 had a strong representation from the Chōshū province, as Itō Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kido Kōin were from there. Other natives famous for their role in the restoration include Yoshida Shōin, Takasugi Shinsaku, and Kusaka Genzui among others.

The Japanese battleship Nagato was named after this province.

Shrines and temples

Sumiyoshi jinja was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of Nagato. ^[4]

Historical districts

Yamaguchi Prefecture
- Abu District (阿武郡) - absorbed Mishima District on April 1, 1896
- Asa District (厚狭郡) - dissolved
- Mine District (美祢郡) - dissolved
- Mishima District (見島郡) - merged into Abu District on April 1, 1896
- Ōtsu District (大津郡) - dissolved
- Toyoura District (豊浦郡) - dissolved

Maps

Shōhō Kuniezu - Nagato Province, with Suō in yellow and Iwami in blue (Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives)
Genroku Kuniezu - Nagato Province, with Suō in pink and Iwami in yellow (Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives)
Tenpō Kuniezu - Nagato Province (Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives)
1878 map of Yamaguchi Prefecture, marked with its two constituent provinces of Nagato (長門) and Suō (周防), as well as neighbouring Iwami (石見) and Aki (安藝) (Yamaguchi Prefectural Archives)

Notes

^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, ed. (24 May 2016). NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.
^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nagato" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 684, p. 684, at Google Books.
^ US Department of State. (1906). A digest of international law as embodied in diplomatic discussions, treaties and other international agreements (John Bassett Moore, ed.), Vol. 5, p. 759.
^ "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3; retrieved 2012-11-20.

References

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
Papinot, Edmond. (1910). Historical and Geographic Dictionary of Japan. Tokyo: Librarie Sansaisha. OCLC 77691250

External links

Media related to Nagato Province at Wikimedia Commons

[1] NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, ed. (24 May 2016). NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典 (in Japanese). NHK Publishing.

[2] Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Nagato" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 684, p. 684, at Google Books.

[3] US Department of State. (1906). A digest of international law as embodied in diplomatic discussions, treaties and other international agreements (John Bassett Moore, ed.), Vol. 5, p. 759.

[4] "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 3; retrieved 2012-11-20.

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v t e Former provinces of Japan (List)
Kinai	Izumi Kawachi Settsu Yamashiro Yamato Yoshino 716–738
Tōkaidō	Awa Hitachi Iga Ise Izu Kai Kazusa Mikawa Musashi Owari Sagami Shima Shimōsa Suruga Tōtōmi
Tōsandō	Dewa -1869 Hida Iwaki 718–724 Iwaki 1869– Iwase 718–724 Iwashiro 1869– Kōzuke Mino Ōmi Mutsu –1869 Rikuō (or Mutsu) 1869– Rikuchū 1869– Rikuzen 1869– Shimotsuke Shinano Suwa 721–731 Ugo 1869– Uzen 1869–
Hokurikudō	Echigo Echizen Etchū Kaga Noto Sado Wakasa
San'indō	Hōki Inaba Izumo Iwami Oki Tajima Tanba Tango
San'yōdō	Aki Bingo Bitchū Bizen Harima Mimasaka Nagato Suō
Nankaidō	Awa Awaji Iyo Kii Sanuki Tosa
Saikaidō	Bungo Buzen Chikugo Chikuzen Higo Hizen Hyūga Iki Ōsumi Satsuma Tane 702–824 Tsushima
Hokkaidō 1869–	Chishima Hidaka Iburi Ishikari Kitami Kushiro Nemuro Oshima Shiribeshi Teshio Tokachi
Pre-Taihō Code provinces	Chichibu Fusa Hi Keno Kibi Koshi Kumaso Toyo Tsukushi
Source: Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books; excerpt, "Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government ... [and] grouped, according to geographic position, into the 'five provinces of the Kinai' and 'seven circuits'."