• • Period: Kamakura Period / Muromachi Period
  • Occupation: shugo
  • Family: Akamatsu Norimura (father)
  • Birth: 1311
  • Death: 1371

Akamatsu Norisuke

Akamatsu Norisuke (赤松 範資) was a member of the Akamatsu Family living from 1311-1371. He was the son of Akamatsu Norimura.

During his life he aided his father against the Kamakura Shogunate and served as shugo in Harima, Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces.

Later in his life he became a Tendai Monk under the name of Jiten.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• • Period: Legendary Period
  • Occupation: Prince
  • Family: Emperor Keikō (father) Sonotakebime (mother) Kunichiwake (brother) Kunisewake (brother)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Toyotowake

Toyotowake (豊戸別皇子) was the son of Emperor Keikō and Sonotakebime according to the nihongi.¹

The kojiki states that he was the son of Keikō and ‘another concubine.’²

He is stated to have been the ancestor of the Wake of Hi Province (now Hizen and Higo in Kyushu).¹

Footnotes

1. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
2. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.

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Provinces

The Japanese provinces (国 kuni or koku) were geographical areas which were establsihed by the Kokugun System and the Taika Reforms came into being in 645AD.

Initially they comprised of 58 kuni with 3 islands provinces, however by 822AD this had changed to 66 kuni and 2 islands provinces.

These areas existed under the Meiji Restoration and were offically abolished in 1871 and replaced with the current Prefectural System.¹ When the Prefectures were established the old provinces were grouped by geographical location into the ‘Five Provinces of Kinai’ and the ‘Seven Circuits.²

During their existence they were lead by Kokushi (Provisional Governors) and Gunji (District Officials).¹

Here follows a list of Provinces on our site. This is not yet completely and will continued to be added to over time.

Provinces of the Kinai

• • Izumi Province
  • Kawachi Province
  • Settsu Province
  • Yamashiro Province
  • Yamato Province

Tōsandō Circuit

• • Dewa Province
  • Hida Province
  • Kōzuke Province
  • Mino Province
  • Mutsu Province
  • Omi Province
  • Shimotsuke Province
  • Shinano Province

Hokurikudō Circuit

• • Echigo Province
  • Echizen Province
  • Etchū Province
  • Kaga Province
  • Koshi Province
  • Wakasa Province

San’indō Circuit

• • Hōki Province (also called Hahaki Province)
  • Inaba Province
  • Izumo Province
  • Tajima Province
  • Tamba Province
  • Tango Province

Tōkaidō Circuit

• • Ise Province
  • Kai Province
  • Kazusa Province
  • Mikawa Province
  • Owari Province
  • Sagami Province
  • Shimōsa Province
  • Suruga Province
  • Tōtōmi Province

Nankaidō Circuit

• • Awa Province
  • Iyo Province
  • Kii Province
  • Sanuki Province
  • Tosa Province

San’yōdō Circuit

• • Aki Province
  • Harima Province (also called Banshu Province)
  • Mimasaka Province

Saikaidaō Circuit

• • Bungo Province
  • Chikuzen Province
  • Hizen Province
  • Hyūga Province (also called Himuka Province)
  • Iki Province
  • Tsushima Province

Pre-Taihō Code

• • Kibi Province

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• See also: List of Provinces

Hizen Province

Hizen Province (肥前国), also known as Bizen, was an old Province of Japan, located in what is now Nagasaki and Saga Prefecture.¹

Legenedary Period

Legends state that the sword Orochi no Aramasa eventually came to dwell in Isonomaki in Bizen Province.²

Kamakura/Muromachi Period

Akamatsu Norisuke served as shugo here during his lifetime.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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• Co-ordinates: : 32°58′N 129°48′E
• Island: Kyushu
• Region: Kyushu Region
• Capital: Nagasaki

• See also: Iki Province, Tsushima Province, Hizen Province.
• See also: List of Prefectures.

Nagasaki Prefecture

Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県 – Nagasaki-ken) is located on the island of Kyushu. It is bordered by the Genkai Sea and Tsushima Strait on its northern edge, by Saga Prefecture and the Ariake Sea on its east, the Amakusa Sea on the south and the East China Sea on the west. It’s capital city is called Nagasaki.

Establishment

After the Taika Reforms in AD645, and the establishment of the ritsuryō system, this area was split into several different provinces. The island of Iki and Tsushima became island Provinces, and the prefectures peninsula area became Hizen Province. Nagasaki Prefecture’s present boundaries were established in 1833 after the Meiji Restoration.

History

This area was long known for its connections to the outside world and it is this prefecture where Christian Missionaries first began to visit Japan after the arrival of St. Francis Xavier in 1550 in Hirado. Eventually this led to the Shimbara Uprising in the Shimbara Peninsula in 1637 which followed from Christian oppression by the Tokugawa Shogunate.¹

Islands in this Prefecture

• Chikanoshima
• Futagonoshima
• Hiradoshima
• Ikinoshima
• Tsushima

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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