History of Miyazaki Prefecture
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Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,073,054 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders ...
.


Etymology

It was in ''
Wamyō Ruijushō The is a 938 CE Japanese dictionary of Chinese characters. The Heian period scholar Minamoto no Shitagō (源順, 911–983 CE) began compilation in 934, at the request of Emperor Daigo's daughter. This ''Wamyō ruijushō'' title is abbreviate ...
'' 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 Miyazaki might be the place where Emperor Jinmu, the mythological first emperor, lived, or the place of Miya, or his place.


Prehistoric Miyazaki

*
Teeth A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, t ...
of Elephas naumanni were excavated at Tonokoori, Saito city. (300,000 years ago to 20,000 years ago) *Gomuta
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
of Kawaminami was in the mid- paleolithic era, and was 3,3000 years ago. *25,000 years ago; many
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
s of the latter paleolithic era are distributed around Gokase river and Miyazaki plain. *12,000 years ago; nail-shaped earthenwares and elevated-line earthernwares, stone axes were excavated from Douchi
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
. *10,000 years ago, in the early Jōmon period, the sealine rose 5 meters high because of weather warming. There were Onuki shellheap site, Kashiwada shellheap site; Atoe shellheap site of Miyazaki presented
dugout (shelter) A dugout or dug-out, also known as a pit-house or earth lodge, is a shelter for humans or domesticated animals and livestock based on a hole or depression dug into the ground. Dugouts can be fully recessed into the earth, with a flat roof cover ...
, dokoubo tomb (of burial; the act of placing a person or object into the ground) and various stone tools were seen. *6,400 years ago; Kigai
Caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...
erupted in Kagoshima Prefecture, and earthenwares are classified before and after the eruption. *4,000 years ago; Jinnai
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
in Takachiho showed signs of earliest farming. *3,000 years ago; there was Shimozuru
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
in Togo town. *3rd century B.C. parts of
bronze mirror Bronze mirrors preceded the glass mirrors of today. This type of mirror, sometimes termed a copper mirror, has been found by archaeologists among elite assemblages from various cultures, from Etruscan Italy to Japan. Typically they are round an ...
were excavated from Jindaigasako site.


Saitobaru Burial Mounds

* * Saitobaru kofungun is a group of three hundred thirty three kofuns or tumuli in Saito city, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. This is the largest kofun group in Japan, situated on a 70-meter hill composed of diluvium.


Yamato Ouken and Miyazaki

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 Ō (king) or Ōkimi (great king) as its center. These names include Yamato Chōtei (Court), Yamato Ōken, Wa Ōken, 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 Chōtei (Court) should not be used before the 4th and 5th century. At the present time, Yamato Ōken 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 Ōken infiltrated from the Ōita area southward. According to '' Nihon Shoki'', a Japanese document, the offspring of Prince Toyokuniwake, who followed
Emperor Keikō , also known as and , was the 12th legendary Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Both the ''Kojiki'', and the ''Nihon Shoki'' (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Keikō's all ...
, became the top of Hyūga, or agata-nushi, at Morokara.


Hyūga

After the establishment of the
Ritsuryō , , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ...
system, the country of Hyūga had been called Himuka, facing the east. The control of Yamato Ōken was not strong, and in 702, Satsuma country, and in 713, Ōsumi country was separated, thus the country of Hyūga was determined. These countries were under the strong control of Yamato Ōken, or Dazaifu. In 815, there were 500 soldiers of the Yamato Ōken, 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 was the founder of the Shimazu samurai clan. According to a record of his life, he was reportedly born in Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka. He was initially but after being given the position of ''jitō'' (land steward) of the Shimazu Estate by Mina ...
(died August 1, 1227) was the founder of the Shimazu samurai clan. The Shimazu clan had become the ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominal ...
'' of Satsuma and Ōsumi 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 (Hyūga) 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 , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
in 1587. Then Hyuga was given to various ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominal ...
s'' who fought for Hideyoshi.


Edo Period

In the Edo period, Hyuga was divided into many hans; the greatest was the
Satsuma han The , briefly known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1602 to 1871. The Satsuma Domain was based at Kagoshima Castle in Satsuma Province, the core of the modern city of Kagoshima, l ...
of Kagoshima which belonged to
Shimazu clan The were the ''daimyō'' of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan. The Shimazu were identified as one of the '' tozama'' or outsider ''daimyō'' familiesAppert, Georges ''et al.'' (1888). in cont ...
. Other hans included
Nobeoka is a Cities of Japan, city located in the north of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city has an estimated population of 119,521 and a population density of 138 persons per km². The total area is . History The city was offici ...
han, Takanabe han, Sadowara han and Obi han.


Nobeoka Han

*In 1587, Takahashi Mototane was given this area (Nobeoka, Takachiho, Miyazaki, Honjo and Hokita) and built Agata (Nobeoka) Castle. 53,000 koku. Later, Arima Naozumi, Miura Akihiro and Makino Nario were given this area respectively but they did not govern this area continuously. In 1747, Naito Masaki was given this area and his family continued to the end of
Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characte ...
. 70,000 koku.


Takanabe Han

*In 1587, Akizuki Saburo was given this area. 30,000 '' koku''. Takanabe han continued to the end of the han system.


Sadowara Han

*In 1577, Shimazu Iehisa entered Sadowara Castle, and the possession of his land was assured in 1588. In 1603, Shimazu Yukihisa entered the Sadowara Castle. 30,000 koku. The han continued to the termination of the han system. Sadowara town was composed of areas samurais lived and townspeople lived. Sadowara clay dolls were produced.


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 , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
'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.


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

*The area of Miyazaki City had been an exclave of Ito clan, Nobeoka han, Obi han, Kagoshima han, Takanabe han, Tenryo (shogunate governed) depending on the time and areas. Therefore, a deserted village of Kamibeppu Mura was chosen as the site of the prefectural building in 1873. It was very lonely, and it was said that badgers and foxes lived there. The name of the prefecture was from the Miyazaki gun of the village. *Almost all sites of the prefectural capital cities are the so-called castle towns. Miyazaki and Hokkaido are exceptions. *The development of Miyazaki Prefecture was very slow. People from other prefectures were invited to live there.


Miyazaki Shrine and Hakko Ichiu Monument

{{Infobox religious building , name = Miyazaki-jingū
宮崎神宮 , image = Miyazaki jingu1.jpg , caption = , map_type = , map_alt = , coordinates = , map_relief = , map_size = , map_caption = , religious_affiliation =
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
, type = , deity = Jinmu
Ugayafukiaezu is a Shinto ''kami'', and is in Japanese mythology, the father of Japan's first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu. Nomenclature and story In the ''Kojiki'', his name appears as , and in the '' Nihon Shoki'' as . Basil Hall Chamberlain glossed the ''Kojik ...

Damayoribime , founded_by = , established = , date_destroyed = , location = 2-4-1, Jingū, Miyazaki
Miyazaki 880-0053 , website = {{URL, http://miyazakijingu.jp/ , architecture_style = , festival = , leadership = * Miyazaki-jingū in which
Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the '' Nihon Shoki'' and ''Kojiki''. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Hakkō ichiu (八紘一宇, "eight cords, one roof" i.e. "all the world under one roof") was a Japanese political slogan that became popular from the Second Sino-Japanese War to World War II, and was popularized in a speech by Prime Minister of Japan Fumimaro Konoe on January 8, 1940.


Atarashiki-mura movement

*
Atarashiki-mura , is a Japanese utopian community founded by the author, artist and philosopher Saneatsu Mushanokōji, which has been approved as a foundation by the local government after its establishment. History The village was founded in 1918 in Hyūg ...
, "New Village", is a Japanese intentional community founded by the author, artist and philosopher
Saneatsu Mushanokōji was a Japanese novelist, playwright, poet, artist, and philosopher active during the late Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. Later on in life he requested that the pronunciation of his surname (as far as was concerned) be changed from the usua ...
. It was founded in 1918 in Hyūga, in the mountains of
Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,073,054 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefecture borders ...
in Kyūshū. ''Work in the village and do creative work'' was their motto. In 1939 they were warned that much of their land was about to be submerged by the construction of a dam, so they searched for a new home and found 10 hectares in Moroyama-machi, Iruma-gun, Saitama Prefecture. A few members remain at Hyūga.


Sightseeing and Miyazaki

Based on the History of Miyazaki Sightseeing,http://www.pmiyazaki.com/db/hist.htm History of Miyazaki Sightseeing *Sightseeing, opening events and congresses have become important industries of Miyazaki. *In 1926, Miyazaki City Bus Company(now Miyazaki Kotsu Co., Ltd.) was founded. *In 1932, Tachibana Bridge was completed. *In 1937, ''Cactus Park'' was made along the Nichinan Coast. *In 1939, ''Children's Park'' was founded in Aoshima, Miyazaki. *In 1954, 51 phoenix canariensis trees (tree of the Prefecture) were transplanted in the Tachibana Park. *In 1959, professional baseball team ''Tokyo Giants'' started off-season training camp in Miyazaki. Several other teams followed later. *In 1965, a popular television program ''Tamayura'' was broadcast, starting honeymoon boom here in Miyazaki. *In 1971, ''Phoenix'' seaside hotel, zoo, golf course opened. *In 1974, the first Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (golf) started. *In 1974, the peak of Miyazaki honeymoon boom. *In 1984, Teruha suspension bridge was completed at Aya. *In 1994, Seagaia Ocean Dome opened in Miyazaki. *In 2001, Seagaia Ocean Dome went into financial failure. *In 2004, Seagaia Ocean Dome reopened.


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

*Nicknamed ''Sonomanma Higashi'', a name he used as a comedian, he revealed his true name to be
Hideo Higashikokubaru is a Japanese politician. He originally rose to fame as a comedian and actor under the stage name , and was known for his role in the popular game show ''Takeshi's Castle''. He served as the Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture from 2007 to 2011, re ...
in his campaign to become the governor of Miyazaki Prefecture. An election which he won by a landslide. Hideo frequently appeared in television and often worked as a salesman of the Miyazaki Prefecture. At the start of his term, Hideo was very active in office due to an outbreak of
avian influenza Avian influenza, known informally as avian flu or bird flu, is a variety of influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds.
. In his later days in office, Hideo played a key role as the governor of Miyazaki during an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, prevalent in both cows and pigs across the prefecture. Hideo was very popular with the people of Miyazaki with support levels at around 90%. In 2011, he ran for the governor of Tokyo but finished second to
Shintaro Ishihara was a Japanese politician and writer who was Governor of Tokyo from 1999 to 2012. Being the former leader of the radical right Japan Restoration Party, he was one of the most prominent ultranationalists in modern Japanese politics. An ultra ...
.


References

;Bibliography *''Miyazaki Encyclopedia ''(in Japanese), Miyazaki Nichinichi Newspapers, 1983. Miyazaki