History of Miyazaki Prefecture

Miyazaki Prefecture
宮崎県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
  Japanese 宮崎県
  Rōmaji Miyazaki-ken
Country Japan
Region Kyushu
Island Kyushu
Capital Miyazaki
Government
  Governor Shunji Kono (since January 20, 2011)
Area
  Total 6,684.67 km2 (2,580.97 sq mi)
Area rank 19th
Population (December 1, 2010)
  Total 1,128,412
  Rank 37th
  Density 168.81/km2 (437.2/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code JP-45
Districts 8
Municipalities 30
Flower Hamayu (Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum)
Tree Phoenix palm (Phoenix canariensis)
Bird Ijima copper pheasant (Phasianus soemmerringii ijimae)
Website www.pref.miyazaki.lg.jp

This is an outline of the history of Miyazaki Prefecture.

Etymology

It was in Wamyo Ruijusho that Miyazaki first appeared in Japanese documents as one of the names of 5 guns (subprefecture) in Miyazaki. According to the History of Miyazaki Prefecture by Tsugiyoshi Hidaka[1] Miyazaki might be the place where Emperor Jinmu, the mythological first emperor, lived, or the place of Miya, or his place.

Prehistoric Miyazaki

Aoshima of Miyazaki, A panorama of the 'Ogre's Washboard'

Saitobaru Burial Mounds

Yamato Ouken and Miyazaki

Expanding Yamato Ouken(red) around the 7th century;Miyazaki Prefecture is in eastern southern Kyushu

There are various Japanese names for a political/governmental organization present starting in the third century of kofun period in Kinki area of Japan, composed of several powerful families, with Oh (king) or Ohkimi (great king) as its center. These names include Yamato Choutei (Court), Yamato Ouken, Wa Ouken, and Yamato Seiken. At the same time, there are views that the presence of smaller regional states should be respected. There is a view that Choutei (Court) should not be used before the 4th and 5th century. At the present time, Yamato Ouken is tentatively used here. In the mythologies of country production, Miyazaki appeared as a part of Kumaso in Kyushu, but not as a unified force but it is considered to be a part of Kumaso-controlled area. By and by, the force of Yamato Ouken infiltrated from the Oita area southward. According to Nihon Shoki, a Japanese document, the offsprings of Prince Toyokuniwake, who followed Emperor Keiko, became the top of Hyuga, or agata-nushi, at Morokara.

Hyuga

After the establishment of the Ritsuryo system, the country of Hyuga had been called Himuka, facing the east. The control of Yamato Ouken was not strong, and in 702, Satsuma country, and in 713, Osumi country was separated, thus the country of Hyuga was determined. These countries were under the strong control of Yamato Ouken, or Dazaifu. In 815, there were 500 soldiers of the Yamato Ouken, and comparison of soldiers revealed more lower class soldiers than in other countries.

Kamakura period

Shimazu Tadahisa, the founder of the Shimazu Samurai clan

In 1185, Shimazu Tadahisa (died August 1, 1227) was the founder of the Shimazu samurai clan. The Shimazu clan had become the daimyo of Satsuma and Osumi domains of Kagoshima and Hyuga country. He went to Satsuma in 1196, subdued Hyuga and Osumi provinces, and built a castle in the domain of Shimazu (Hyuga) which name he also adopted. He is buried in Kamakura, near his father's tomb.

Muromachi Period and Nanbokucho Period

Strongmen in Hyuga were Tsuchimochi, Ito, Kitahara and Shimazu, Hongo and Niiro. These strongmen fought against their enemies. Finally, Shimazu was most powerful, until the time of their defeat by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587. Then Hyuga was given to various daimyos who fought for Hideyoshi. [2]

Edo Period

In the Edo period, Hyuga was divided into many hans; the greatest was the Satsuma han of Kagoshima which belonged to Shimazu clan. Other hans included Nobeoka han, Takanabe han, Sadowara han and Obi han.

Nobeoka Han

Takanabe Han

Sadowara Han

The Itō clan and Obi Han

The Itō-family were a Japanese clan that claimed descent from the medieval warrior Itō Suketoki. The family became a moderate power both in influence and ability by the latter Sengoku Period of Feudal Japan. The Itō family survived through the Muromachi Period, and remained a powerful clan well into the Sengoku period. The Itō family's most serious rivals in this period were the Shimazu. The Shimazu clan, which had unified Satsuma Province and Ōsumi Province under their control, began to clash with the Itō in 1570. The Itō were finally defeated by the Shimazu in 1578. The family followed Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Kyushu and Itoh Suketake won the land of Obi, now Nichinan which became the Obi Domain. 23,000 koku which became 40,500 koku and a peak of 57,816 koku.

Aya Castle 1331–1615, mountain castle, once one of the 48 castles of Ito clan

The Shimazu clan and Miyazaki

The Shimazu clan, the tozama daimyo, was a powerful clan and its territory spanned the provinces of Satsuma, Osumi and the south-west region of Hyūga, and had the Ryūkyū Kingdom as a vassal state. The territory is largely contiguous with today's Kagoshima prefecture, and parts of Miyazaki prefecture.

Meiji Era

Miyazaki Prefecture was placed, but it was made a part of Kagoshima Prefecture once. In 1883, Hyuga was separated from Kagoshima Prefecture, naming it Miyazaki Prefecture. A part of previously Hyuga remained in the Kagoshima Prefecture.

Peculiarities of the capital of Miyazaki Prefecture

Miyazaki Shrine and Hakko Ichiu Monument

Miyazaki-jingū
宮崎神宮
Information
Dedicated to Jinmu
Ugayafukiaezu
Damayoribime
Address 2-4-1, Jingū, Miyazaki
Miyazaki 880-0053
Website miyazakijingu.jp
Glossary of Shinto
Prewar 10-sen Japanese banknote, illustrating the Hakkō ichiu monument in Miyazaki

Atarashiki-mura movement

Sightseeing and Miyazaki

Phoenix canariensis

Based on the History of Miyazaki Sightseeing,[3]

Takachiho-kyo(Gorge) and Manai waterfall

Hideo Higashikokubaru, Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture (2007–2011)

Hideo Higashikokubaru

References

  1. Hidaka Tsugiyoshi History of Miyazaki Prefecture, Yamakawa shuppansha
  2. Miyazaki Encyclopedia (in Japanese) Miyazaki Nichinichi Shinbunsha 1983.
  3. http://www.pmiyazaki.com/db/hist.htm History of Miyazaki Sightseeing
Bibliography
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