View source for Chikuzen Province

{{short description|Former province of Japan}}

[[File:Provinces of Japan-Chikuzen.svg|thumb|right|Map of Japanese provinces (1868) with Chikuzen Province highlighted]]

{{nihongo|'''Chikuzen Province'''|筑前国|Chikuzen no Kuni|{{IPA|ja|tɕi̥.kɯꜜ.(d)zeɴ, -(d)zen no kɯ.ɲi}}<ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典|publisher=NHK Publishing|editor=NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute|date=24 May 2016|lang=ja}}</ref>}} was a [[Provinces of Japan|province of Japan]] in the area of northern [[Kyushu]], corresponding to part of north and western [[Fukuoka Prefecture]].<ref>[[Louis-Frédéric|Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric]]. (2005). "''Chikuzen''" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 114|page=114}}.</ref> Chikuzen bordered on [[Hizen Province|Hizen]] to the east, and [[Buzen Province|Buzen]] east, and [[Bungo Province|Bungo]] to the southeast. Its abbreviated form name was {{nihongo|'''[[Chikushū]]'''|筑州}} (a name which it shared with Chikugo Province), although it was also called {{nihongo|'''[[Chikuyo]]'''|筑陽}}. In terms of the [[Gokishichidō]] system, Chikuzen was one of the provinces of the [[Saikaidō]] circuit. Under the ''[[Engishiki]]'' classification system, Chikuzen was ranked as one of the "superior countries" (上国) in terms of importance, and one of the "far countries" (遠国) in terms of distance from the capital.

[[File:59 Chikuzen.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hiroshige]] ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' "Chikuzen" in "The Famous Scenes of the Sixty States" (六十余州名所図会), depicting the Hakozaki in Chkuzen Province in 1855  ]]

==History==
Ancient [[Tsukushi Province]] was a major power center in the [[Yayoi period]], with contacts to the Asian mainland and may have been the site for the Kingdom of [[Yamatai]] mentioned in official Chinese dynastic [[Twenty-Four Histories]] for the 1st- and 2nd-century [[Han dynasty#Eastern Han|Eastern Han dynasty]], the 3rd-century ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'', and the 6th-century ''[[Book of Sui]]''. During the [[Kofun period]], many [[kofun|burial mounds]] were constructed and the area was ruled by a powerful clan who held the title of "Tsukushi no ''[[kuni no miyatsuko]]''". The semi-legendary 14th ruler of Japan, [[Emperor Chūai]] is said to have had a palace in Chikuzen at what is now the [[Kashii-gū]] shrine. The area was the launching point for [[Empress Jingū]]'s purported conquest of Korea, and was the settlement area for many [[Toraijin]] immigrants such as the famous [[Hata clan]]. In 527, the [[Iwai Rebellion]] between rival factions supporting Silla against Yamato rule occurred. In 531, the priest Zensho arrived from [[Northern Wei]] and established ''[[Shugendo]]''. In 663, the Yamato government, which was defeated by the combined Silla and [[Tang dynasty|Tang China]] forces at the [[Battle of Baekgang|Battle of Hakusonko]], decided to establish [[Dazaifu (government)|Dazaifu]] as a regional military and civil administrative center, and after the [[Taika Reforms]] and the establishment of the ''[[Ritsuryō]]'' system in 701, Tsukushi Province was divided into Chikuzen and Chikugo Provinces.

The ''[[kokufu]]'' of Chikuzen is believed to have been located in what is now part of the city of [[Dazaifu, Fukuoka|Dazaifu]], although its exact location has not yet been discovered. The ruins of the [[Chikuzen Kokubun-ji]] are located in the same area, and are a [[Monuments of Japan|National Historic Site]]. The ''[[ichinomiya]]'' of Chikuzen Province is [[Sumiyoshi Shrine (Fukuoka)|Sumiyoshi Shrine]], located in [[Hakata-ku, Fukuoka]], although the early records of the province indicate that [[Hakozaki Shrine]] was the ''ichinomiya''.<ref>[http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/images/uploads/EOS070712Ab.pdf "Nationwide List of ''Ichinomiya''," p. 3] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517061440/http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/images/uploads/EOS070712Ab.pdf |date=May 17, 2013 }}; retrieved 2012-10-26.</ref>

At the end of the 13th century, Chikuzen was the landing point for a [[Mongol invasions of Japan|Mongol invasion force]]. But the main force was destroyed by a [[typhoon]] (later called [[Kamikaze (typhoon)|kamikaze]]).

In April 1336, [[Kikuchi clan|Kikuchi Taketoshi]] attacked the [[Shoni clan]] stronghold at [[Dazaifu, Fukuoka|Dazaifu]]. At the time, the Shoni were allied with [[Ashikaga Takauji]] in his battles against [[Go-Daigo]]. The Shoni were defeated, which led to the suicide of several clan members, including their leader Shoni Sadatsune.<ref name=Sansom2>{{Cite book |last=Sansom |first=George |title=A History of Japan, 1334-1615 |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1961 |isbn=0804705259 |page=45}}</ref>

Chikuzen in the [[Edo period]] was almost entirely under the control of [[Fukuoka Domain]], ruled by the [[Kuroda clan]] to the [[Meiji restoration]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Bakumatsu period domains
|-
! Name !! Clan !! Type !! ''[[kokudaka]]''
|-
| [[File:Kuroda Fuji (No background and Black color drawing).svg|25px]] [[Fukuoka Domain|Fukuoka]] || [[Kuroda clan|Kuroda]] || ''[[Tozama daimyō|Tozama]]'' || 523,000 ''koku'' 
|-
| [[File:Kuroda Fuji (No background and Black color drawing).svg|25px]] [[Akizuki Domain|Akizuki]] || [[Kuroda clan|Kuroda]] || ''[[Tozama daimyō|Tozama]]'' || 50,000 ''koku''
|-
|}

In the [[Meiji period]], the provinces of Japan were converted into prefectures.<ref>Nussbaum, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA780 "Provinces and prefectures"] at p. 780.</ref> However, the name of the province continued to exist for some purposes. For example, Chikuzen is explicitly recognized in treaties in 1894 (a) between Japan and the [[United States]] and (b) between Japan and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>US Department of State. (1906). [https://archive.org/details/digestofinternat07mooriala/page/759  ''A digest of international law as embodied in diplomatic discussions, treaties and other international agreements'' (John Bassett Moore, ed.), Vol. 5, p. 759].</ref> It also persists in features such as the [[Chikuhō Main Line]] (JR Kyushu) and stations [[Chikuzen-Habu Station|Chikuzen Habu]] and [[Chikuzen-Ueki Station|Chikuzen Ueki]]. The adjacent Haruda Line includes [[Chikuzen-Uchino Station|Chikuzen Uchino]] and [[Chikuzen-Yamae Station|Chikuzen Yamae]] stations, reflecting the region in the time the rail networks were established.

Per the early [[Meiji period]] {{nihongo|''Kyudaka kyuryo Torishirabe-chō''|旧高旧領取調帳|}}, an official government assessment of the nation's resources, Chikuzen Province had 862 villages with a total ''[[kokudaka]]'' of 633,434 ''[[koku]]''. Chikuzen Province consisted of:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Districts of Chikugo Province
|-
! scope=col style="width: 160px;" | District
! scope=col style="width: 90px;" | ''kokudaka''
! scope=col style="width: 90px;" | villages
! scope=col style="width: 190px;" | Controlled by
!scope=col style="width: 510px;" |  Notes
|-
| [[Kasuya District, Fukuoka|Kasuya District]] (糟屋郡)  || 62,854 ''koku'' || 85 villages || Fukuoka ||
|-
| [[Munakata District, Fukuoka|Munakata District]] (宗像郡) || 56,306 ''koku'' || 60 villages || Fukuoka || dissolved
|-
| [[Onga District, Fukuoka|Onga District]] (遠賀郡)  || 54,956 ''koku'' || 85 villages || Fukuoka ||
|-
| [[Kurate District, Fukuoka|Kurate District]] (鞍手郡) || 60,628 ''koku'' || 68 villages || Fukuoka ||
|-
| [[Honami District, Fukuoka|Honami District]] (穂波郡)  || 38,103 ''koku'' ||61 villages || Fukuoka, Akizuki || merged with Kama District to become [[Kaho District, Fukuoka|Kaho District]] (嘉穂郡) on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Kama District, Fukuoka|Kama District]] (嘉麻郡) || 56,306 ''koku'' || 60 villages || Fukuoka, Akizuki || merged with Honami District to become Kaho District on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Johza District, Fukuoka|Johza District]] (上座郡)  || 25,596 ''koku'' || 34 villages || Fukuoka || merged with Geza and Yasu Districts to become [[Asakura District, Fukuoka|Asakura District]] (朝倉郡) on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Geza District, Fukuoka|Geza District]] (下座郡) || 21,436 ''koku'' || 44 villages || Fukuoka, Akizuki || merged with Johza and Yasu Districts to become [[Asakura District, Fukuoka|Asakura District]] (朝倉郡) on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Yasu District, Fukuoka|Yasu District]] (夜須郡) || 40,286 ''koku'' || 54 villages || Fukuoka, Akizuki || merged with Geza and Johza Districts to become Asakura District on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Mikasa District, Fukuoka|Mikasa District]] (御笠郡) || 37,512 ''koku'' || 57 villages || Fukuoka || merged with Mushiroda and Naka Districts to become [[Chikushi District, Fukuoka|Chikushi District]] (筑紫郡) on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Naka District, Fukuoka|Naka District]] (那珂郡) || 42,611 ''koku'' || 70 villages || Fukuoka || merged with Mikasa and Mushiroda Districts to become Chikushi District on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Mushiroda District, Fukuoka|Mushiroda District]] (席田郡) || 9,899 ''koku'' || 9 villages || Fukuoka || merged with Mikasa and Naka Districts to become Chikushi District on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Sawara District, Fukuoka|Sawara District]] (早良郡) || 45,153 ''koku'' || 53 villages || Fukuoka || dissolved
|-
| [[Shima District, Fukuoka|Shima District]] (早良郡) || 44,058 ''koku'' || 48 villages || Fukuoka ||  merged with Ito District to become Itoshima District on February 26, 1896
|-
| [[Ito District, Fukuoka|Ito District]] (怡土郡郡) || 47,681 ''koku'' || 71 villages || Fukuoka || merged with Shima District to become [[Itoshima District, Fukuoka|Itoshima District]] (糸島郡) on February 26, 1896
|-
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Sumiyoshi-jinja (Fukuoka) haiden-1.JPG|Sumiyoshi, the ''ichinomiya'' of the province
Chikuzen Kokubunji tou.JPG|Site of the Chikuzen Kokubun-ji
Tofuroh dazaifu.jpg|Site of Dazaifu
Fukuoka Castle 20221231.jpg|Fukuoka Castle
Kuroda Nagatomo.jpg|Kuroda Nagatomo, final ''daimyō'' of Fukuoka Domain
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* [[Louis-Frédéric|Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric]] and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC  ''Japan encyclopedia.''] Cambridge: [[Harvard University Press]]. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58053128?referer=di&ht=edition  OCLC 58053128]
* [[Edmond Papinot|Papinot, Edmond]]. (1910). ''Historical and Geographic Dictionary of Japan.'' Tokyo: Librarie Sansaisha. [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/77691250 OCLC 77691250]

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Chikuzen Province}}
* [http://www.maproom.org/00/05/sub1/1.html  Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903]

{{Japan Old Province}}

[[Category:Former provinces of Japan]]
[[Category:History of Fukuoka Prefecture]]
[[Category:1871 disestablishments in Japan]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1871]]