Hitachi Province
常陸国
Province of Japan
7th century–1871

Map of Japanese provinces (1868) with Hitachi Province highlighted
CapitalHitachi Kokufu and Mito
History 
• Established
7th century
• Disestablished
1871
Succeeded by
Ibaraki Prefecture
Today part ofIbaraki Prefecture
Hitachi Kokufu Ruins Stone Monument in Ishioka
View of Hitachi Province, Hokusai woodcut in 1830

Hitachi Province (常陸国, Hitachi no Kuni) was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture.[1] It was sometimes called Jōshū (常州). Hitachi Province bordered on Shimōsa (Lower Fusa), Shimotsuke, and Mutsu (Iwase -1718-, Iwashiro -1869-, Iwaki -1718- and -1869-) Provinces. Generally, its northern border was with Mutsu.

History

The ancient provincial capital (Hitachi Kokufu) and temple (Hitachi Kokubun-ji) were located near modern Ishioka and have been excavated, while the chief shrine was further east at Kashima (Kashima Shrine). The province was established in the 7th century.

In the Sengoku period the area was divided among several daimyōs, but the chief castle was usually in the Mito Castle of the modern city of Mito.

In Edo period, one of the clans originating from Tokugawa Ieyasu, settled in the Mito Domain, known as Mito Tokugawa family or Mito Clan. Mito Domain, was a Japanese domain of the Edo period it was associated with Hitachi Province.

In Meiji era the political maps of the provinces of Japan were reformed in the 1870s, and the provinces became prefectures, and also some provinces were modified or merged, when creating the prefectures.

Historical districts

History books about Japan

Two renowned history books about Japan were written in this province:

Notes

References

  • Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
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