日向

日向 (canonical)
Hyūga (romanization)
Fiuga (romanization)
ひうが (hiragana historical)

⟨pi₁muka⟩ → */pʲimuka/ → /ɸimuka/ → /ɸiũɡa/ → /hjuːɡa/
Shift from Old Japanese 日向 (Pi₁muka → Himuka).
Equivalent to a compound of 日 (hi, “sun”) + 向か (muka, the 未然形 (mizenkei, “irrealis form”) of verb 向く (muku), “to face (a direction)”).

日向夏

hyūganatsu, Citrus × tamurana, a kind of citrus fruit

(historical) short for 日向国 (Hyūga-no-kuni): Hyūga Province, an old province of Japan, corresponding to modern Miyazaki Prefecture on the eastern coast of Kyushu


薩摩

薩摩川内

薩摩川内 さつませんだい

Satsuma Province, an old province of Japan


筑前

[t͡ɕikɯ̟zẽ̞ɴ]

Chikuzen Province, an ancient province of Japan near Fukuoka


泉州

Compound of 泉 (Clipping of 和泉 (“Izumi Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">和泉</i> (“Izumi Province”)

(historical) short for 和泉国 (Izumi no kuni, “Izumi Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


日立

The name of various places, titles, and companies in Japan.

Hitachi Province, a former region in Japan, roughly equivalent to modern-day Ibaraki prefecture


石見

石見 (canonical)
Iwami (romanization)
Ifami (romanization)
いはみ (hiragana historical)

Iwami Province, an old province of Japan


備州

Compound of 備 (Clipping of 吉備 (“Kibi Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">吉備</i> (“Kibi Province”)

(historical) short for 吉備国 (Kibi no kuni, “Kibi Province, a feudal province of Japan”), in the area of Okayama Prefecture and eastern Hiroshima prefecture. It was divided into Bizen, Bitchū, and Bingo Provinces in the late 7th century, and Mimasaka Province was separated from Bizen Province in the 8th century

short for 備前国 (Bizen no kuni, “Bizen Province”)

short for 備中国 (Bitchū no kuni, “Bitchū Province”)

short for 備後国 (Bingo no kuni, “Bingo Province”)


長州

ja-pos

長(ちょう)州(しゅう) • (Chōshū) ^(←ちやうしう (Tyausiu)?)

長州 (canonical)
Chōshū (romanization)
Tyausiu (romanization)
ちやうしう (hiragana historical)

Compound of 長 (Clipping of 長門 (“Nagato Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">長門</i> (“Nagato Province”)

(historical) short for 長門国 (Nagato no kuni, “Nagato Province, a feudal province of Japan”)

長州藩

長州藩 ちょうしゅうはん

長州風呂

長州風呂 ちょうしゅうぶろ


奥州

奥州 (canonical)
Ōshū (romanization)
Ausiu (romanization)
あうしう (hiragana historical)

→ English: Osju, Voxu

→ Latin:

(historical) short for 陸奥国 (Mutsu no kuni, “Mutsu Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


上野

上野 (canonical)
Kōzuke (romanization)
Kauduke (romanization)
かうづけ (hiragana historical)

⟨kami₁tuke₂⟩ → */kamʲitukei̯/ → /kaũd͡zuke/ → /kɔːd͡zuke/ → /koːzuke/
Originally a clipping of Old Japanese 上毛野 (Kami₁tuke₂no₁ → Kamitsukeno, literally “Upper Keno”).

inh

short for 上野国 (Kōzuke-no-kuni): Kōzuke Province, an old province of Japan


甲斐

甲斐 (canonical)
Kai (romanization)
Kafi (romanization)
かひ (hiragana historical)

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Man'yōshū of 759.
Derived from the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 代(か)う (kau, “to exchange or replace one thing with another”), with the basic sense being "that which should be the result / outcome / replacement".

ja-etym-renyokei

甲州

こうしゅう, Kōshu

Kai (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to present-day Yamanashi Prefecture)


山城

Compound of 山 (yama, “mountain”) + 城 (shiro, “castle, fortress”).

compound

Yamashiro Province, an old province of Japan


美濃

⟨mi₁no₁⟩ → /mʲinʷo/ → /mino/
From Old Japanese.
The name of a province in ancient Japan, this appears in the oldest records of the 600s, and again later in the Kojiki of 712 CE, as 三野国 (Mino no kuni, literally “three + farm/field + 's + province”), apparently because the region had three large farms. This shifted to 御野国 (Mino no kuni, literally “honorable + farm/field + 's + province”), by roughly 702 CE, then a few years later in roughly 708 CE the spelling was officially changed to 美濃国 (Mino no kuni, literally “beautiful + rich/concentrated + 's + province”), with this spelling then later becoming the only one.

(historical) short for 美濃国 (Mino no kuni): Mino Province, an old province of Japan


信濃

First attested in Kojiki, as man'yōgana 斯那奴(しなぬ) (shinanu) and kanji 科野, which later became 信野, and finally 信濃. Further origin remains unknown.

Shinano Province, an old province of Japan in present-day Nagano Prefecture


武蔵

Alexander Vovin
John Batchelor
John Batchelor (missionary)
Kantō Plain
Kojiki
Wamyō Ruijushō
folk etymology
man'yōgana

/muzasi/ → /musaɕi/
From Old Japanese. Attested in the Kojiki spelled phonetically in man'yōgana as 无耶志 (Muzashi).
Ultimate derivation unknown. One theory is based on an earlier placename, 身狭 (Musa), which was apparently divided into upper 身狭上 (Musa-gami) and lower 身狭下 (Musa-shimo) portions, roughly corresponding to the later provinces of 相模 (Sagami) and 武蔵 (Musashi). The modern name Sagami then arose as a corruption of Musa-gami, while Musashi derived from Musa-shimo. However, this may be only a folk etymology.
A separate theory suggests that Musashi derives from an old Ainu borrowing. Linguist Alexander Vovin derives this from ムンサリ (mun-sar-i) or ムンサリヒ (mun-sar-ihi, “weed-marsh-[possessive suffix]”), hypothetical Ainu forms that would mean "marsh/wetland of (i.e. belonging to) weeds/inedible or otherwise useless plants," and Musashi sits in the middle of the Kantō Plain. However, John Batchelor's 1905 Ainu dictionary and grammar includes no mention of a possessive suffix -i or -ihi. Another possible Ainu source could be ムンサシㇼ (mun sa shir, “nettle plain land”).
The kanji spelling 武藏 probably first appeared in the Wamyō Ruijushō of 938 CE, but that origin is also unknown.

Musashi Province: a region of old Japan consisting of modern-day Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa prefectures.


越後

越後 (canonical)
Echigo (romanization)
Wetigo (romanization)
ゑちご (hiragana historical)

Named after the ancient province of Koshi (越国 (こしのくに, Koshinokuni)), which was split into three provinces under Emperor Monmu in the 7th century AD.

Echigo (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to present-day Niigata Prefecture)


尾張

尾張 (canonical)
Owari (romanization)
Wofari (romanization)
をはり (hiragana historical)

(historical) Owari, an old province of Japan


三河

三河 (canonical)
Mikawa (romanization)
Mikafa (romanization)
みかは (hiragana historical)

From the presence of three rivers in the former province: 男(おと)川(がわ) (Otogawa), 豊(とよ)川(かわ) (Toyokawa), and 矢(や)作(はぎ)川(がわ) (Yahagigawa). The name 三川 (Mikawa) is included in the Kojiki.

Mikawa Province, an old province of Japan


淡路

淡路 (canonical)
Awaji (romanization)
Afadi (romanization)
あはぢ (hiragana historical)

Awaji Province, an old province of Japan


播磨

Harima Province, an old province of Japan


安芸

Aki Province, an old province of Japan in modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture.


丹波

Tanba Province, an old province of Japan.


摂津

Settsu Province, an old province of Japan.


出羽

出羽 (canonical)
Dewa (romanization)
Defa (romanization)
では (hiragana historical)

Shift from Idewa below.
Compare the shift of classical verb 出づ (izu) → 出る (deru, “to come, leave”).

short for 出羽国 (Dewa-no-kuni): Dewa Province, an old province of Japan on which is today Yamagata and Akita Prefectures


出羽

出羽 (canonical)
出羽 (canonical)
Idewa (romanization)
Ideha (romanization)

(obsolete) short for 出羽国 (Idewa/Ideha-no-kuni): Idewa Province, an old province of Japan on which is today Yamagata and Akita Prefectures


越中

ja-pos

越(えっ)中(ちゅう) • (Etchū) ^(←えちちゆう (Etityuu)?)

越中 (canonical)
Etchū (romanization)
Etityuu (romanization)
えちちゆう (hiragana historical)

Etchū (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to present-day Toyama Prefecture)


越前

越(えち)前(ぜん) • (Echizen) ^(←ゑちぜん (Wetizen)?)

越前 (canonical)
Echizen (romanization)
Wetizen (romanization)
ゑちぜん (hiragana historical)

Echizen (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to the northern half of present-day Fukui Prefecture)


若狭

Wakasa Province, an old province of Japan


能登

From Old Japanese (no₂to₂), from Ainu not (“cape”) or noto (“big cape”).
The kanji are ateji (当て字).

(historical) Noto Province, an old province of Japan


駿河

Suruga Province, an old province of Japan


周防

周防 (canonical)
Suō (romanization)
Sufau (romanization)
すはう (hiragana historical)


陸奥

陸奥(むつ) or 陸(みち)奥(のく) • (Mutsu or Michinoku)

陸奥 (canonical)
陸奥 (canonical)
Mutsu (romanization)
Michinoku (romanization)

Mutsu Province, an old province of Japan, made up of the present-day prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori, and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture


伊予

(historical) Iyo Province, an old province of Japan


讃岐

Sanuki Province, an old province of Japan


常陸

From 日高見 (ひたかみ).

Hitachi Province, an old province of Japan


下総

下(しも)総(うさ) • (Shimōsa) ^(←しもふさ (Simofusa)?)

下総 (canonical)
Shimōsa (romanization)
Simofusa (romanization)
しもふさ (hiragana historical)

Shimōsa (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to the northern part of present-day Chiba Prefecture)


上総

上総 (canonical)
Kazusa (romanization)
Kadusa (romanization)
かづさ (hiragana historical)

From Old Japanese. Originally named Kamitsufusa (上捄 (かみつふさ, Kamitsufusa)), after the ancient province of Fusa (捄国 (ふさのくに, Fusa no kuni)), which was split into two provinces around the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The name was later corrupted to Kazusa (かづさ in historical kana, かずさ in modern kana).
The kanji spelling 上総 is first attested in AD 704.

Kazusa (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to the upper southern part of present-day Chiba Prefecture)


大隅

大(おお)隅(すみ) • (Ōsumi) ^(←おほすみ (Ofosumi)?)

大隅 (canonical)
Ōsumi (romanization)
Ofosumi (romanization)
おほすみ (hiragana historical)

Ōsumi Province, an old province of Japan


肥前

Hizen Province, an old province of Japan


筑後

Chikugo Province, an old province of Japan


豊前

Buzen Province, an old province of Japan


豊後

Bungo Province, an old province of Japan


出雲

出雲 (canonical)
Izumo (romanization)
Idumo (romanization)
いづも (hiragana historical)

Izumo Province, an old province of Japan


備後

Bingo Province, an old province of Japan


備中

[bʲit̚t͡ɕɨː]

Bitchū Province, an old province of Japan


備前

Bizen Province, an old province of Japan


美作

Mimasaka Province, an old province of Japan


伯耆

伯耆 (canonical)
Hōki (romanization)
Fauki (romanization)
はうき (hiragana historical)

(historical) Hōki Province, an old province of Japan


因幡

Inaba Province, an old province of Japan


但馬

Tajima Province, an old province of Japan


丹後

Tango Province, an old province of Japan


志摩

Shima Province, an old province of Japan


伊豆

伊豆 (canonical)
Izu (romanization)
Idu (romanization)
いづ (hiragana historical)


下野

下野 (canonical)
Shimotsuke (romanization)

⟨simo₁tuke₂⟩ → */simʷotukei̯/ → /ɕimot͡suke/
Originally a clipping of Old Japanese 下毛野 (Simo₁tuke₂no₁ → Shimotsukeno, literally “Lower Keno”).
The meadowsweet sense was first attested in The Pillow Book (1002), from the province where the flower was first discovered.

inh

(historical) short for 下野国 (Shimotsuke-no-kuni): Shimotsuke Province, an old province of Japan, now part of Tochigi Prefecture


陸中

[ɾʲikɯ̟̊t͡ɕɨː]

Rikuchū Province, an old province of Japan


陸前

short for 陸前国 (Rikuzen-no-kuni): Rikuzen Province, one of the provinces of Japan separated from the older 陸奥 (Mutsu) Province in the early Meiji period; today part of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures


岩代

ja-pos

岩(いわ)代(しろ) • (Iwashiro) ^(←いはしろ (Ifasiro)?)

岩代 (canonical)
Iwashiro (romanization)
Ifasiro (romanization)
いはしろ (hiragana historical)

Iwashiro Province, an old province of Japan


磐城

磐城 (canonical)
Iwaki (romanization)
Ifaki (romanization)
いはき (hiragana historical)

Iwaki Province, an old province of Japan


加州

加州 (canonical)
Kashū (romanization)
Kasiu (romanization)
かしう (hiragana historical)

Compound of 加 (Clipping of 加賀 (“Kaga Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">加賀</i> (“Kaga Province”)

(historical) short for 加賀国 (Kaga no kuni, “Kaga Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


越国

越国 (canonical)
Koshinokuni (romanization)

Koshi, Koshinokuni (a historical province of Japan, roughly corresponding to the traditional region of Hokuriku)


伯州

ja-pos

伯(はく)州(しゅう) • (Hakushū) ^(←はくしう (Fakusiu)?)

伯州 (canonical)
Hakushū (romanization)
Fakusiu (romanization)
はくしう (hiragana historical)

(historical) short for 伯耆国 (Hōki no kuni, “Hōki Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


甲州

甲(こう)州(しゅう) • (Kōshū)

Compound of 甲 (Clipping of 甲斐 (“Kai Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">甲斐</i> (“Kai Province”)

(historical) short for 甲斐国 (Kai no kuni, “Kai Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


壱岐

(historical) Iki, an old province of Japan


日向国

ja-pos

日向国(ひゅうがのくに) • (Hyūganokuni) ^(←ひうがのくに (Fiuganokuni)?)

日向国 (canonical)
Hyūganokuni (romanization)
Fiuganokuni (romanization)
ひうがのくに (hiragana historical)

[çɨːɡa̠ no̞ kɯ̟ɲ̟i]

Compound of 日向 (Hyūga, province name, literally “sun-facing”) + の (no, possessive particle) + 国 (kuni, “country, land; province (prior to the Meiji period)”).

compound

Hyūga Province, corresponding to modern Miyazaki Prefecture


豊州

ja-pos

豊(ほう)州(しゅう) • (Hōshū)

Compound of 豊 (Clipping of 豊国 (“Toyo Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">豊国</i> (“Toyo Province”)

(historical) short for 豊国 (Toyo no kuni, “Toyo Province, a feudal province of Japan”)

short for 豊前国 (Buzen no kuni, “Buzen Province”)

short for 豊後国 (Bungo no kuni, “Bungo Province”)


雲州

Orthographic borrowing from Chinese 雲州 /云州 (Yúnzhōu).
# (~区) a district of Datong, Shanxi, China
#: Synonym: 雲州区 (Unshū ku)
Compound of 雲 (Clipping of 出雲 (“Izumo Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">出雲</i> (“Izumo Province”)

(historical) short for 出雲国 (Izumo no kuni, “Izumo Province, a feudal province of Japan”)


信州

Orthographic borrowing from Chinese 信州 (Xìnzhōu)
# (historical) Xinzhou (a historical state in China; modern Chongqing)
Compound of 信 (Clipping of 信濃 (“Shinano Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">信濃</i> (“Shinano Province”)

(historical) short for 信濃国 (Shinano no kuni, “Shinano Province, a feudal province of Japan”)

信濃国

信州そば

(by extension, poetic) Nagano (a prefecture of Japan)


東国

the eight eastern provinces that are now Kantō


上州

ja-pos

上(じょう)州(しゅう) • (Jōshū)

Compound of 上 (Clipping of 上野 (“Kōzuke Province”)) + 州 (shū, “province”)

com+

Clipping of <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ja">上野</i> (“Kōzuke Province”)

(historical) short for 上野国 (Kōzuke no kuni, “Kōzuke Province, a feudal province of Japan”)

上野国

(by extension, poetic) Gunma (a prefecture of Japan)


胆振

Iburi Province, an old province of Japan


後志

後志 (canonical)
Shiribeshi (romanization)

Borrowed from Ainu シㇼペッ (sir pet), referring to the Shiribetsu River and its nearby mountains.

Shiribeshi Province, an old province of Japan


天塩

Teshio Province, an old province of Japan