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{{Short description|Historical region of Japan}}
[[Image:Saikaido.svg|right|thumb|Saikaidō]]
The {{Nihongo|'''Saikaidō'''|西海道||{{IPA|ja|sai.kaꜜi.doː}},<ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:新明解日本語アクセント辞典|edition=2nd|editor-last=Kindaichi|editor-first=Haruhiko|editor-link=Haruhiko Kindaichi|editor-last2=Akinaga|editor-first2=Kazue|publisher=[[Sanseidō]]|date=10 March 2025|lang=ja}}</ref> {{lit|Western Sea [[Circuit (administrative division)|Circuit]]}}}} is a Japanese geographical term.<ref>Deal, William E. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=i0ni1NmbYe0C&pg=PA83  ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan'', p. 83].</ref>  It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it.<ref>[[Louis-Frédéric|Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric]]. (2005). "''Goki-shichidō''" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 255|page=255}}.</ref>  Saikaido was one of the main [[Circuit (subnational entity)|circuits]] of the [[Gokishichidō]] system, which was originally established during the [[Asuka period]].

This name identified the geographic region of [[Kyūshū]] and the islands of [[Tsushima Island|Tsushima]] and [[Iki Island|Iki]]. It consisted of nine [[Old provinces of Japan|ancient provinces]] and two islands.<ref>Compare  [[Nankaidō]], which includes all of [[Shikoku]], is the "southern sea circuit" and [[Tōkaidō (region)|Tōkaidō]] is the "eastern sea circuit", made famous by the wood-block prints of [[Hokusai]] and [[Hiroshige]].</ref>  The provinces included [[Chikuzen Province|Chikuzen]], [[Chikugo Province|Chikugo]], [[Buzen Province|Buzen]], [[Bungo Province|Bungo]], [[Hizen Province|Hizen]], [[Higo Province|Higo]], [[Hyūga Province|Hyūga]], [[Satsuma Province|Satsuma]] and [[Ōsumi Province|Ōsumi]].

==See also==
* [[Comparison of past and present administrative divisions of Japan]]

==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]

{{Gokishichidō}}
{{Japan Old Province}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saikaido}}
[[Category:Road transport in Japan]]
[[Category:Saikaido]]


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