was a
provinceBefore 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
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of 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...
, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day
Nara Prefectureis a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.- History :The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
in
Honshūor Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Strait...
. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character ' onMouseout='HidePop("61170")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Names_of_Japan">Names of Japan
There are many names of Japan in the English, Japanese, and other languages. The word "Japan" is an exonym, and is used by a large number of languages. The Japanese names for Japan are Nippon and Nihon . They are both written in Japanese using the kanji 日本...
), and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in the second year of the
Tenpyō-hōjiwas a after Tenpyō-shōhō and before Tenpyō-jingo. This period spanned the years from 757 through 765. The reigning empress was .-Change of era:* 757 ): The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
era (c. 758). It is classified as a great province in the
Engishiki-History:In 905 Emperor Daigo ordered the compilation of a new set of laws. Fujiwara no Tokihira began the task, but work stalled when he died four years later in 909. His brother Fujiwara no Tadahira continued the work in 912 eventually completing it in 927...
.
The name
Yamato derives from the
Yamato peopleThe are the dominant native ethnic group of Japan.It is a term that came to be used around the late 19th century to distinguish the residents of the mainland Japan from other minority ethnic groups who have resided in the peripheral areas of Japan such as Ainu, Ryukyuans, Nivkhs, Ulta, as well as...
; the
Yamato PeriodThe is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
in the
history of JapanThe written history of Japan begins with brief information of Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts, in the 1st century AD. However, there is evidence that suggests people were living on the islands of Japan since the upper paleolithic period...
refers to the late
Kofun PeriodThe is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun period follows the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period...
(c. 250–538) and
Asuka PeriodThe , was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 , although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period...
(538–710). Japanese archaeologists and historians emphasize the fact that during the early Kofun Period the Yamato chieftainship was in close contention with other regional powers, such as
Kibi Provincewas a province of Japan, in the area of Okayama Prefecture and eastern Hiroshima Prefecture.It was divided into Bizen , Bitchū , and Bingo Provinces in the late 7th century, and Mimasaka Province was separated from Bizen Province in the 8th century...
near present-day
Okayama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration; Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province were combined to form Okayama Prefecture.- Geography :...
. Around the 6th century, the local chieftainship gained national control and established the Imperial court in Yamato Province.
BattleshipA battleship is a large, heavily armored warship with a main battery consisting of the largest caliber of guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers or destroyers. There are currently no battleships in service....
YamatoYamato , named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet, she was lead ship of the Yamato class...
, the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet during the
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, was named after this ancient province.
Capital
The provincial capital was Wakigami in Katsujō District (modern northeastern
Goseis a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan.In 2003 the city had an estimated population of 33,526 and a density of 552.78 persons per km². The total area is 60.65 km².The city was founded on March 31 1958.-Neighboring municipalities:* Nara Prefecture** Yamatotakada...
), but accompanying the
Heijō-kyōHeijō-kyō , was the capital city of Japan during most of the time of Nara period...
capital transfer, it was moved to
Takaichi DistrictTakaichi is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 14,624 and a density of 293.36 persons per km². The total area is 49.85 km².- Towns and villages :*Asuka*Takatori...
(Jōroku in modern
Kashiharais a city located in Nara, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 125,513 and the density of 3,175.94 persons per km². The total area is 39.52 km²....
, where the Ōgaru and Ishikawa towns meet, called
Karu no Chimata). Where exactly the capital was is guessed at by various sources, but not known for sure. There was no
shugowas a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
's mansion; the
Kōfuku-jiis a Buddhist temple in the city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, Japan. The temple is the headquarter of the Hossō school in Japan.-History:Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 by Kagami-no-Ōkimi , the wife of Fujiwara no Kamatari, wishing for her husbands’s recovery from...
played that role.
In the
SetsuyōshūThe was a popular Muromachi Period Japanese dictionary collated in iroha order and subdivided into semantic categories. The title word setsuyō means "reduce usage; economize" and alludes to the Lunyu...
, Toichi District is listed as the seat.
Temples
The
provincial templeEmperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan...
for monks is popularly thought to have been
Tōdai-ji, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon...
, but it may have in fact been a different one in Kashihara. The one for nuns was
Hokke-ji, is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Nara, Japan.Hokke-ji was built by Empress Kōmyō in 745, originally as a nunnery temple on the grounds where previously her father Fujiwara no Fuhito's mansion stood. According to records kept by the temple, the initial construction went on until around...
.
The
primary shrineIchinomiya is historically the supreme shrine in each of the old provinces of Japan, and currently the name of several places in Japan:*a city:...
was
Sakuraiis a city in Nara, Japan.As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 63,321 and the density of 630.01 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².The city was founded on September 1, 1956....
’s
Ōmiwa Shrine, also known as , is a Shinto shrine located in Sakurai, Nara, Japan. The shrine is noted because it contains no sacred images or objects because it is believed to serve Mount Miwa, the mountain on which it stands. For the same reason, it has a , but no . In this sense, it is a model of what the...
, but the there have been no records stating as such found at the shrine itself. There were no
secondary shrinesNinomiya is the name of several places:*Ninomiya, Tochigi*Ninomiya, KanagawaNinomiya is a popular Japanese surname, and may refer to:*Ninomiya, the main character in the light novel series Goshūshō-sama Ninomiya-kun...
. The sōja was Kokufu Shrine (Takatori,
TakaichiTakaichi is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 14,624 and a density of 293.36 persons per km². The total area is 49.85 km².- Towns and villages :*Asuka*Takatori...
,
Narais a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.- History :The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
).
Kami of Yamato
- Minamoto no Shigetoki
- Minamoto no Suetō
- Utsunomiya Nobufusa
- Oda Hidanaga
- Oda Toshisada
- Oda Tatsusada
- Oda Tatsukatsu
- Mitsuki Naoyori
- Honjō Fusanaga
- Tōyama Kagetō
- Jushii-ge Nakai Masakiyo
- Jushii-ge Matsudaira Tomonori
- Jushii-ge Matsudaira Naotsune
- Jugoi-ge Kanō Hisachika
- Jushii-ge Matsudaira Naonobu
- Jushii-ge Matsudaira Tsunenori
- Jushii-ge Matsudaira Naoyoshi
Districts
| Ancient |
Medieval |
1 April 1896 |
Modern |
|
Sofu no Kami no Kōri Soekami was a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 1,913 and a density of 89.60 persons per km². The total area was 21.35 km².- Merger :...
|
Soekami-gun |
Soekami-gun |
Nara-shiis the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Tenri-shiis a city located in Nara, Japan. Tenri is the only city in Japan to be named after a religious group, the new religious movement Tenrikyo which has its headquarters in the city and believes it to be the center of the world. Tenrikyo had recommended the name Yamabe, which is the district that the...
|
| Sofu no Shimo no Kōri |
Soejimo-gun |
Ikoma-gun Ikoma is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 80,507 and a density of 1,569.34 persons per km². The total area is 51.30 km².- Towns and villages :*Ando*Heguri*Ikaruga*Sangō...
|
Yamatokōriyama-shiis a city located in Nara, Japan.As of August 31 2006, the city has an estimated population of 93,280 and the density of 2,185.56 persons per km². The total area is 42.68 km².-Geography:...
, Ikoma-shiis a city located in the north-west end of Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 112,765 and the density of 2,120.44 persons per km², and it is the third biggest population in the prefecture...
, Ikoma-gun |
|
Heguri no Kōri |
Heguri-gun |
|
Hirose no Kōri |
Hirose-gun |
Kitakatsuragi-gun Kitakatsuragi is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 134,816 and a density of 1,886.07 persons per km². The total area is 71.48 km².- Towns and villages :*Kanmaki*Kawai*Kōryō...
|
Yamatotakada-shiis a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.Places named "Takada" are found all over Japan. To specify its location, this city's name includes "Yamato," the province that preceded the modern Nara Prefecture....
, Kashiba-shiis a city located in Nara, Japan.As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 72,860 and the density of 3,007.21 persons per km². The total area is 24.23 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1991.- Education :...
, Katsuragi-shiis a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2007, the town had an estimated population of 35,885 and a density of 1,063.88 persons per km². The total area is 33.73 km²....
, Kitakatsuragi-gun |
|
Katsuragi no Shimo no Kōri |
Katsuge-gun |
| Katsuragi no Kami no Kōri |
Katsujō-gun |
Minamikatsuragi-gun |
Gose-shiis a city in Nara Prefecture, Japan.In 2003 the city had an estimated population of 33,526 and a density of 552.78 persons per km². The total area is 60.65 km².The city was founded on March 31 1958.-Neighboring municipalities:* Nara Prefecture** Yamatotakada...
|
| Oshimi no Kōri |
Oshimi-gun |
|
Uchi no Kōri |
Uchi-gun |
Uchi-gun |
Gojō-shi is a city located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 34,436 and the density of 386.75 persons per km². The total area is 89.04 km².The city was founded on October 15, 1957....
|
|
Yoshino no Kōri Yoshino is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 59,020 and a density of 26.14 persons per km²...
|
Yoshino-gun |
Yoshino-gun |
Gojō-shi, Yoshino-gun |
|
Uda no Kōri Uda is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the district has an estimated population of 42,752 and a density of 113.98 persons per km². The total area is 375.09 km².- Merger :...
|
Uda-gun |
Uda-gun |
Uda-shiis a city located in northeastern Nara, Japan.On January 1, 2006, the towns of Ōuda, Utano, Haibara and the village of Murō merged to form Uda City. As of December 29, 2005 the population was 38,648 people. The total area is 247.62 km²....
, Uda-gun |
|
Shiki no Kami no Kōri |
Shikijō-gun |
Shiki-gun is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 50,009 and a density of 1,607.49 persons per km². The total area is 31.11 km².- Towns and villages :*Kawanishi*Miyake*Tawaramoto...
|
Tenri-shi, Kashihara-shiis a city located in Nara, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 125,513 and the density of 3,175.94 persons per km². The total area is 39.52 km²....
, Sakurai-shiis a city in Nara, Japan.As of 2007, the city had an estimated population of 63,321 and the density of 630.01 persons per km². The total area is 98.92 km².The city was founded on September 1, 1956....
, Shiki-gun |
| Shiki no Shimo no Kōri |
Shikige-gun |
|
Toichi no Kōri |
Toichi-gun |
|
Takaichi no Kōri Takaichi is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 14,624 and a density of 293.36 persons per km². The total area is 49.85 km².- Towns and villages :*Asuka*Takatori...
|
Takaichi-gun |
Takaichi-gun |
Kashihara-shi, Takaichi-gun |
|
Yamabe no Kōri Yamabe is a district located in Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 11,427 and a density of 103.46 persons per km². The total area is 110.45 km².- Merger :...
|
Yamabe-gun |
Yamabe-gun |
Tenri-shi, Nara-shiis the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Yamabe-gun |
Domains
- Yagyū Domain
- Kōriyama Domain
- Koizumi Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, with its headquarters within the city limits of present-day Yamato-Kōriyama, Nara. It was ruled for the entirety of its history by the Katagiri clan, founded by a younger brother of the famed Katagiri Katsumoto....
- Yanagimoto Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. Its headquarters were located in what is now Tenri, Nara.-List of lords:*Oda clan, 1615-1871 #Naonaga#Nagatane#Hidekazu#Hidechika#Shigezumi #Hideyuki#Nobukata#Hidekata...
- Kaijū Domain / Shibamura Domain
- Kujira Domain
- Uda-Matsuyama Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Yamato Province . It was ruled for most of its history by the Oda clan....
- Takatori Domain
- Okidome Domain
- Tatsuta Domain
- Tawaramoto Domain
- Kishida Domain
- Yamato-Shinjō Domain
- Gose Domain
- Yamato-Gojō Domain
See also
- Yamataikoku
was an ancient country in Wa during the late Yayoi period. The circa 297 CE Chinese history Sanguo Zhi first records Yamataikoku as the domain of shaman Queen Himiko...
- Yoshino Province
thumb|250px|right|Location of Yoshino Province c. 716. was a short-lived special division of the provinces of Japan, a part of Kinai. It was composed of only one district, . Its present day location is the southern part of Nara Prefecture....
- List of Provinces of Japan
- List of Han
- Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
- Japanese battleship Yamato
Yamato , named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet, she was lead ship of the Yamato class...
- Yamato people (Japanese)
The are the dominant native ethnic group of Japan.It is a term that came to be used around the late 19th century to distinguish the residents of the mainland Japan from other minority ethnic groups who have resided in the peripheral areas of Japan such as Ainu, Ryukyuans, Nivkhs, Ulta, as well as...
- Yamato-damashii - 'the Japanese spirit'
is a historically and culturally loaded word in the Japanese language. The phrase was coined in the Heian period for an indigenous 'spirit' that was shown to best light when polished by 'Chinese learning'. Later, a qualitative contrast between Japanese and Chinese spirit was elicited from the...