Bitchū Province facts for kids
Bitchū Province (備中国 (Bitchū no kuni)) was an old region in Japan. It was located in the area that is now Okayama Prefecture on the island of Honshū. Sometimes, Bitchū Province was called Bishū (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help)), along with Bizen and Bingo Provinces.
Bitchū Province shared its borders with several other old provinces. These included Hōki, Mimasaka, Bizen, and Bingo Provinces. The ancient capital city of Bitchū Province was located near the modern-day city of Soja.
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History of Bitchū Province
The history of Bitchū Province is part of Japan's long past. For many centuries, Japan was divided into these provinces. Each province had its own local government and unique features.
A big change happened during the Meiji period (1868-1912). In this time, Japan went through many modernizing reforms. One of these reforms was changing the old provinces into new administrative areas called prefectures. This change happened in the 1870s. The maps of Japan were redrawn, and Bitchū Province became part of what is now Okayama Prefecture.
Important Places in Bitchū
Even though Bitchū Province no longer exists as a political region, some important historical sites remain. These places tell us about the culture and beliefs of the people who lived there long ago.
Kibitsu Jinja Shrine
Kibitsu jinja was the most important Shinto shrine in Bitchū Province. It was known as the ichinomiya, which means the chief or highest-ranked shrine of the province. Shinto shrines are places of worship in Japan's traditional religion, Shinto. People would visit these shrines to pray and show respect to the gods, or kami.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Provincia de Bitchū para niños
