Shimotsuke Province facts for kids
Shimotsuke Province (下野国, Shimotsuke-no kuni) was a historic region in Japan. It was like an old-fashioned state or county. You can find its area today in Tochigi Prefecture, which is on the big island of Honshū. People sometimes called it Yashū (野州) or Shimotsuke-shū (下野州).
The main city, or capital, of Shimotsuke Province was located near the modern city of Tochigi. A very famous place in Shimotsuke was Nikkō. This is where the tomb and shrine of Tokugawa Ieyasu are located. He was a powerful leader who started a long period of peace in Japan.
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History of Shimotsuke Province
Shimotsuke Province has a long and interesting history. In ancient times, during the Nara period (around 710-794 AD), Shimotsuke was part of a larger area called Keno Province. This changed in the year 701. Japan's government made new rules, called the Taihō Code, which reorganized the provinces. This is when Shimotsuke became its own separate province.
During the Sengoku period (around 1467-1615), Japan was in a time of civil war. Different powerful lords, called daimyo, controlled parts of Shimotsuke. These daimyo often fought each other for land and power.
Key Dates in Shimotsuke's History
- 1150: Minamoto-no Yoshikane, who was the leader of the important Ashikaga clan, made Shimotsuke Province his base.
- 1627: A powerful leader named Inaba Masanari took control of an area called Mōka Domain within Shimotsuke. A "domain" was like a small territory ruled by a daimyo.
- 1672: Itakura Shigenori was given control of Kasuyama Domain, another territory in Shimotsuke.
- 1725: A branch of the Ōkubo clan, another important family, took over Karasuyama Domain in Shimotsuke. They stayed in charge there until the Meiji Restoration.
The Meiji Restoration happened in the late 1800s. It was a big change for Japan. The old system of provinces was replaced with a new system of prefectures. Maps of Japan and Shimotsuke Province were updated in the 1870s to show these new areas.
Important Shrines and Temples
Futarasan jinja was the most important Shinto shrine in Shimotsuke. In Japan, the main shrine of a province is called an ichinomiya. Shinto shrines are places of worship for the Shinto religion, which is unique to Japan.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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ukiyo-e print called "Shimotsuke" from a series called "The Famous Scenes of the Sixty States." It shows Mount Nikkō and Urami Waterfall.
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A map of Shimotsuke Province from 1838.
See also
In Spanish: Provincia de Shimotsuke para niños
