04 / 05

Further Provinces

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‘Rebus with a Complete List of the Provinces of Great Japan’ (Dai Nihon kuni zukushi hanjimono 大日本くにづくしはんじ物), woodcut, Gifu Prefectural Library, shelfmark:17-14-2, URL: https://www.library.pref.gifu.lg.jp/mapdata/17-14-2.htm

The old provinces of the further regions of Japan are:

  • Tōkaidō: Iga, Ise, Shima, Owari, Mikawa, Tōtōmi, Suruga, Izu, Kai, Sagami, Musashi, Awa, Kazusa, Shimōsa, Hitachi,
  • Tōsandō: Ōmi, Mino, Hida, Shinano, Kōzuke, Shimotsuke, Dewa, Mutsu,
  • Hokurikudō: Wakasa, Echizen, Kaga, Noto, Etchū, Echigo, Sado,
  • San’yōdō: Harima, Mimasaka, Bizen, Bitchū, Bingo, Aki, Suō, Nagato,
  • San’indō: Tamba, Tango, Tajima, Inaba, Hōki, Izumo, Iwami, Oki,
  • Nankaidō: Kii, Awaji, Awa, Sanuki, Iyo, Tosa,
  • Saikaidō: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Buzen, Bungo, Hizen, Higo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, Satsuma, Iki ,Tsushima. 

Can you recognize further provinces in the map? Look for instance for recurrent patterns, such as demon (ma 魔) (such as in Hari-ma), striped pattern (shima [moyō] 縞模様) (such as in Tsu-shima), fire (hi 火) (such as in Hitachi), ring (wa 輪) (such as in Wa-kasa), straw raincoat (mi[no] 蓑) (such as in Mi-no), or whetstone (to[ishi] 砥石) (such as in Naga-to). Pay attention also to dakuten 濁点" (such as in Dewa 手"+輪, or Chikugo 竹+子"). Can you find these provinces? 

Perhaps you have also recognized that the map does not show the northern regions of Japan (current-day Hokkaidō), but contains a rebus for Korea (Chōsen). Can you find out what the rebus shows?