San'in region 山陰地方 | |
|---|---|
 Map of the San'in Region | |
| Country | Japan |
| Area | |
• Total | 11,680.73 km2 (4,509.96 sq mi) |
| Population (1 October 2020) | |
• Total | 1,240,143 |
| • Density | 110/km2 (270/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (JST) |
TheSan'in Region (山陰地方,San'in Chihō) is an area in the southwest ofHonshū, the main island ofJapan. It consists of the northern part of theChūgoku region, facing theSea of Japan.[1] Specifically, it is the two prefectures ofShimane andTottori.
The name San'in in theJapanese language is formed from twokanji characters. The first,山, "mountain", and the second,陰 represents the "yin" ofyin and yang. The name means the northern, shady side of the mountains in contrast to theyang "southern, sunny"San'yō region to the south.
The San'in region has numerousPaleolithic andJōmon period (14,000 – 300 BC) remains, but itsYayoi period (300 BC – 250 AD) remains are the largest in Japan. TheMukibanda Yayoi remains in the lowfoothills ofMount Daisen[2] in the cities ofDaisen andYonago,Tottori Prefecture are the largest in Japan.[3] The site is still only partially excavated, but indicates that the San'in was a regional center of power in the period. The mythology of theShinto religion is largely based in the Izumo area of the region,[4] and theIzumo-taisha, or Izumo Grand Shrine inIzumo,Shimane Prefecture, is one of the most ancient and importantShinto shrines inJapan.[5] The eastern part of Shimane Prefecture also had cultural and economic connections to the Asian mainland from an early period.[4]
The San'in region corresponds toSan'indō (山陰道), one of thegokishichidō, or five provinces and seven circuits established in theAsuka period (538–710) under theRitsuryō legal system.[6] San'indō refers not only to the ancient geographic region, but also the main road through the region that connected it to the capital in Kyoto.[7] The San'in encompassed the pre-Meiji provincial areas ofTanba,Tango,Tajima,Inaba,Hōki,Izumo,Iwami andOki.[8][9]
While the San'indō route was used for military logistics in numerous conflicts after the Asuka period, it more importantly served as a route for the transport of good to and from the region. The route reached its highest period of importance in theEdo period (1603–1867) when theTokugawa shogunate formalized its route andshukuba post stations. Thedaimyō regional rulers used the San'indō for theirsankin-kōtai mandatory journeys toEdo (modern Tokyo).
The San'in region now has no administrative authority. In modern Japanese usage it generally refers to the prefectures ofShimane,Tottori and northern area ofYamaguchi.[6] The northern areas ofHyōgo andKyōto prefectures are sometimes included in the region as well.[10]Japan Route 9, theSan'in Expressway, and theJR WestSan'in Main Line follow the historical route of the San'indō, and remnants of theshukuba, some well preserved, remain throughout the region.
The San'in Region has a long coastline along theJapan Sea that dramatically sweeps south to theChūgoku Mountains along the length of the region. The area is primarily mountainous with few plains.[6] While the climate of the San'in region is not as harsh as that of theHokuriku region to the north, winters are characterized by heavy snow and rainfall typical of areas on the Japan Sea.[9]
The San'in subregion is a subregion ofChūgoku region that composes of the prefectures of Shimane, Tottori, and sometimes the northern portion of Yamaguchi Prefecture. The northern portion of Yamaguchi Prefecture composes ofAbu,Hagi, andNagato. The San'yo subregion is composed of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, and Yamaguchi in its entirety.
Per Japanese census data,[11] and,[12] San'in subregion has had continual negative population growth since 1992.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 1,170,000 | — |
| 1930 | 1,229,000 | +5.0% |
| 1940 | 1,225,000 | −0.3% |
| 1950 | 1,513,000 | +23.5% |
| 1960 | 1,488,000 | −1.7% |
| 1970 | 1,342,575 | −9.8% |
| 1980 | 1,388,795 | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 1,397,021 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 1,374,792 | −1.6% |
| 2010 | 1,306,064 | −5.0% |
| 2020 | 1,240,143 | −5.0% |
The San'in region is far from the industrial and cultural heartlands of Japan, and the region is consequently economically undeveloped compared to the other regions of Japan.[6] The landscape remains rural and unindustrialized, and the urban areas of the region are decentralized.[9] Tottori and Shimane are the least populated prefectures in Japan, and the population is aging at a rate faster than the rest of Japan. Cities in the region with a population of over 100,000 remain only the prefectural capitals ofTottori andMatsue, the more recently industrializedYonago, andIzumo, a city formed from numerous smaller cities and villages afterWorld War II. The agricultural output of the San'in region, however, remains very high. Its broad coastal and mountainous areas are protected as national, prefectural, and municipal parks, and these areas are now popular tourist destinations.
The San'in region is connected by several JR West rail lines and some highways, but transportation is relatively undeveloped compared to other regions of Japan. Projects to connect the region to the wider highway network of Japan continue.[9]
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