Chikuzen Province (筑前国,Chikuzen no Kuni;Japanese pronunciation:[tɕi̥.kɯꜜ.(d)zeɴ,-(d)zennokɯ.ɲi][1]) was aprovince of Japan in the area of northernKyushu, corresponding to part of north and westernFukuoka Prefecture.[2] Chikuzen bordered onHizen to the east, andBuzen east, andBungo to the southeast. Its abbreviated form name wasChikushū (筑州) (a name which it shared with Chikugo Province), although it was also calledChikuyo (筑陽). In terms of theGokishichidō system, Chikuzen was one of the provinces of theSaikaidō circuit. Under theEngishiki 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.
AncientTsukushi Province was a major power center in theYayoi period, with contacts to the Asian mainland and may have been the site for the Kingdom ofYamatai mentioned in official Chinese dynasticTwenty-Four Histories for the 1st- and 2nd-centuryEastern Han dynasty, the 3rd-centuryRecords of the Three Kingdoms, and the 6th-centuryBook of Sui. During theKofun period, manyburial mounds were constructed and the area was ruled by a powerful clan who held the title of "Tsukushi nokuni no miyatsuko". The semi-legendary 14th ruler of Japan,Emperor Chūai is said to have had a palace in Chikuzen at what is now theKashii-gū shrine. The area was the launching point forEmpress Jingū's purported conquest of Korea, and was the settlement area for manyToraijin immigrants such as the famousHata clan. In 527, theIwai Rebellion between rival factions supporting Silla against Yamato rule occurred. In 531, the priest Zensho arrived fromNorthern Wei and establishedShugendo. In 663, the Yamato government, which was defeated by the combined Silla andTang China forces at theBattle of Hakusonko, decided to establishDazaifu as a regional military and civil administrative center, and after theTaika Reforms and the establishment of theRitsuryō system in 701, Tsukushi Province was divided into Chikuzen and Chikugo Provinces.
Thekokufu of Chikuzen is believed to have been located in what is now part of the city ofDazaifu, although its exact location has not yet been discovered. The ruins of theChikuzen Kokubun-ji are located in the same area, and are aNational Historic Site. Theichinomiya of Chikuzen Province isSumiyoshi Shrine, located inHakata-ku, Fukuoka, although the early records of the province indicate thatHakozaki Shrine was theichinomiya.[3]
At the end of the 13th century, Chikuzen was the landing point for aMongol invasion force. But the main force was destroyed by atyphoon (later calledkamikaze).
In April 1336,Kikuchi Taketoshi attacked theShoni clan stronghold atDazaifu. At the time, the Shoni were allied withAshikaga Takauji in his battles againstGo-Daigo. The Shoni were defeated, which led to the suicide of several clan members, including their leader Shoni Sadatsune.[4]
Chikuzen in theEdo period was almost entirely under the control ofFukuoka Domain, ruled by theKuroda clan to theMeiji restoration.
| Name | Clan | Type | kokudaka |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg) Fukuoka | Kuroda | Tozama | 523,000koku |
| Akizuki | Kuroda | Tozama | 50,000koku |
In theMeiji period, the provinces of Japan were converted into prefectures.[5] 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 theUnited States and (b) between Japan and theUnited Kingdom.[6] It also persists in features such as theChikuhō Main Line (JR Kyushu) and stationsChikuzen Habu andChikuzen Ueki. The adjacent Haruda Line includesChikuzen Uchino andChikuzen Yamae stations, reflecting the region in the time the rail networks were established.
Per the earlyMeiji periodKyudaka 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 totalkokudaka of 633,434koku. Chikuzen Province consisted of:
| District | kokudaka | villages | Controlled by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kasuya District (糟屋郡) | 62,854koku | 85 villages | Fukuoka | |
| Munakata District (宗像郡) | 56,306koku | 60 villages | Fukuoka | dissolved |
| Onga District (遠賀郡) | 54,956koku | 85 villages | Fukuoka | |
| Kurate District (鞍手郡) | 60,628koku | 68 villages | Fukuoka | |
| Honami District (穂波郡) | 38,103koku | 61 villages | Fukuoka, Akizuki | merged with Kama District to becomeKaho District (嘉穂郡) on February 26, 1896 |
| Kama District (嘉麻郡) | 56,306koku | 60 villages | Fukuoka, Akizuki | merged with Honami District to become Kaho District on February 26, 1896 |
| Johza District (上座郡) | 25,596koku | 34 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Geza and Yasu Districts to becomeAsakura District (朝倉郡) on February 26, 1896 |
| Geza District (下座郡) | 21,436koku | 44 villages | Fukuoka, Akizuki | merged with Johza and Yasu Districts to becomeAsakura District (朝倉郡) on February 26, 1896 |
| Yasu District (夜須郡) | 40,286koku | 54 villages | Fukuoka, Akizuki | merged with Geza and Johza Districts to become Asakura District on February 26, 1896 |
| Mikasa District (御笠郡) | 37,512koku | 57 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Mushiroda and Naka Districts to becomeChikushi District (筑紫郡) on February 26, 1896 |
| Naka District (那珂郡) | 42,611koku | 70 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Mikasa and Mushiroda Districts to become Chikushi District on February 26, 1896 |
| Mushiroda District (席田郡) | 9,899koku | 9 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Mikasa and Naka Districts to become Chikushi District on February 26, 1896 |
| Sawara District (早良郡) | 45,153koku | 53 villages | Fukuoka | dissolved |
| Shima District (早良郡) | 44,058koku | 48 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Ito District to become Itoshima District on February 26, 1896 |
| Ito District (怡土郡郡) | 47,681koku | 71 villages | Fukuoka | merged with Shima District to becomeItoshima District (糸島郡) on February 26, 1896 |
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