Satsuma Province facts for kids

Map of Japanese provinces (1868) with Satsuma Province highlighted

Satsuma Province (薩摩国 (Satsuma-no Kuni)) was an old area in Japan. It was located in the part of Japan that is now Kagoshima Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū. Think of it like an old state or region before Japan changed how it was organized. People sometimes called it Sasshū (薩州) for short.

Satsuma's Story: From Province to Prefecture

For a long time, Japan was divided into many provinces, like Satsuma. But things changed a lot during the Meiji period, which started in 1868. This was a time when Japan became more modern.

During the 1870s, the government decided to change the old provinces into new areas called prefectures. This was a big reform to make the country's government work better. So, Satsuma Province became part of what we now know as Kagoshima Prefecture.

Important Shrines and Temples

Nitta Shrine

In old Japan, Shinto shrines were very important places for worship. They were like special temples where people honored gods and spirits. In Satsuma, two of the most important Shinto shrines were Hirasaki jinja and Nitta Hachiman-gū. These were known as the ichinomiya, which means they were the chief or most respected shrines in the province.

Learn More

• Provinces of Japan
• Prefectures of Japan
• List of regions of Japan
• List of islands of Japan
• Satsuma Seamount

Images for kids

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  Satsuma earthenware tea storage jar (chatsubo) with paulownia and thunder pattern, made around 1800-1850.

See also

In Spanish: Provincia de Satsuma para niños