Bungo Province
Encyclopedia
was a province
of Japan
in eastern Kyūshū
in the area of Ōita Prefecture
. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province
. Bungo bordered Buzen
, Hyūga
, Higo
, Chikugo
, and Chikuzen
Provinces.
was split into Buzen (literally, "the front of Toyo") and Bungo ("the back of Toyo"). Until the Heian period
, Bungo was read as Toyokuni no Michi no Shiri.
It is believed that the capital of Bungo was located in the Kokokufu (古国府), literally "old capital," section of the city of Ōita
but to this day, no remains have been found.
The honor of the holiest Shinto
shrine of Bungo province (豊前一宮, Buzen ichinomiya) was given to Usa Shrine
known as Usa Hachimangu or Usa Jingu in Usa district (today Usa, Ōita
). Usa shrine had not only religious authority but also political influence to local governance, but their influence was reduced till the Sengoku period.
During the Sengoku Period
, in the middle of 16th century, Bungo was a stronghold of the Ōtomo clan
. The Ōuchi clan in the western Chūgoku Region
was influenced to Buzen politics. In the middle of the period, both clans declined. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi
also took the power in Kyūshū, 120 thousand koku
of Buzen province was given to Kuroda Yoshitaka since 1587, who made Kokura
, currently part of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
, his site and built the castle. Other parts of the province were divided into pieces and given to other daimyo
.
Provinces of Japan
Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni , usually known in English as provinces. Each province was divided into gun ....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in eastern Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
in the area of Ōita Prefecture
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
. It was sometimes called , with Buzen Province
Buzen Province
was an old province of Japan in northern Kyūshū in the area of Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bungo Province. Buzen bordered on Bungo and Chikuzen Provinces....
. Bungo bordered Buzen
Buzen Province
was an old province of Japan in northern Kyūshū in the area of Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bungo Province. Buzen bordered on Bungo and Chikuzen Provinces....
, Hyūga
Hyuga Province
was an old province of Japan on the east coast of Kyūshū, corresponding to the modern Miyazaki Prefecture. It was sometimes called or . Hyūga bordered on Bungo, Higo, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Province.The ancient capital was near Saito.-Historical record:...
, Higo
Higo Province
Higo Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Hizen Province. Higo bordered on Chikugo, Bungo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Provinces....
, Chikugo
Chikugo Province
is the name of a former province of Japan in the area that is today the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikuzen Province...
, and Chikuzen
Chikuzen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today part of Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Chikugo Province. Chikuzen bordered Buzen, Bungo, Chikugo, and Hizen Provinces....
Provinces.
History
At the end of 7th century, Toyo ProvinceToyo Province
was an ancient province of Japan, in the area of Buzen and Bungo Provinces. The ancient entity was located in modern Ōita Prefecture and northeastern Fukuoka Prefecture. It was divided into Buzen and Bungo in 683. It was sometimes called ....
was split into Buzen (literally, "the front of Toyo") and Bungo ("the back of Toyo"). Until the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, Bungo was read as Toyokuni no Michi no Shiri.
It is believed that the capital of Bungo was located in the Kokokufu (古国府), literally "old capital," section of the city of Ōita
Oita, Oita
is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...
but to this day, no remains have been found.
The honor of the holiest Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine of Bungo province (豊前一宮, Buzen ichinomiya) was given to Usa Shrine
Usa Shrine
, also known as , is a Shinto shrine in the city of Usa in Ōita Prefecture in Japan. Emperor Ojin, who was deified as Hachiman-jin , is said to be enshrined in all the sites dedicated to him; and the first and earliest of these was at Usa in the early 8th century...
known as Usa Hachimangu or Usa Jingu in Usa district (today Usa, Ōita
Usa, Oita
' is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. Usa is famous for being the location of the Usa Shrine, built in 725, the head shrine of all of Hachiman shrines in Japan.Usa is made up of three areas.*Usa, the area surrounding the Usa Shrine...
). Usa shrine had not only religious authority but also political influence to local governance, but their influence was reduced till the Sengoku period.
During the Sengoku Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, in the middle of 16th century, Bungo was a stronghold of the Ōtomo clan
Otomo clan
The Ōtomo clan was a Japanese clan whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū....
. The Ōuchi clan in the western Chūgoku Region
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
was influenced to Buzen politics. In the middle of the period, both clans declined. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
also took the power in Kyūshū, 120 thousand koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
of Buzen province was given to Kuroda Yoshitaka since 1587, who made Kokura
Kokura
is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyūshū, Japan, guarding, via its suburb Moji, the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshū and Kyūshū. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound Sanyo Shinkansen line, which is owned by JR Kyūshū and an important part of the...
, currently part of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. It is midway between Tokyo and Shanghai.- Demographics :Kitakyūshū has a population of just under one million...
, his site and built the castle. Other parts of the province were divided into pieces and given to other daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
.
Former Districts
- Hita DistrictHita District, Oitawas a district located in Ōita, Japan.In 2003, the district had an estimated population of 14,180 and the density of 35.72 persons per km². The total area was 396.98 km²....
(日高郡) - Kusu DistrictKusu District, Oita' is a district located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 29,807 and the density of 53.43 persons per km². The total area is 557.85 km².-Towns and villages:*Kokonoe*Kusu...
(球珠郡) - Naoiri DistrictNaoiri District, Oitawas a district located in Ōita, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 10,956 and the density of 39.58 persons per km². The total area was 276.84 km².-District Timeline:...
(直入郡) - Ōno DistrictOno District, Oita' was a district located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.As of January 1, 2005 the district had 6 towns and 2 villages.* Asaji* Chitose* Inukai* Kiyokawa* Mie* Notsu* Ogata* Ōno...
(大野郡) - Amabe District (海部郡)
- Ōita DistrictOita District, Oitawas a district located in Ōita, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 40,723 and density of 99.35 persons per km². The total area was 409.90 km².-Dissolution:As of January 1, 2005 the district had 4 towns.* Hasama* Notsuharu...
(大分郡) - Hayami DistrictHayami District, Oita' is a district located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 35,462 and the density of 163.46 persons per km². The total area is 216.94 km².-Merger:...
(速見郡) - Kunisaki District (国埼郡)