Origin of Tochigi prefectural name
TOCHIGI – Horse Chestnut Tree 栃木県 No one knows for sure how the name Tochigi originated. The name “Tochigi” appeared as early as 1394 when Tochigi Castle was built by…
Origin of Ibaraki prefectural name
IBARAKI – Thorny Castle 茨城県 The name “Ibaraki” has been around as the name of a district even before the old Hitachi Province was established in the 7th century in…
Dragons in Japan
Wishing you the best in 2024, the Year of the Dragon. My heart goes out to people in Ishikawa (especially Noto Peninsula) and Toyama Prefectures starting off the new year…
Asakusa Sensoji New Year’s Day worship 2024
🎍On January 1, 2024, I went to Sensoji Temple (浅草寺) in Asakusa, Tokyo’s most famous Buddhist temple and one of the most popular places in Japan for hatsumode (初詣) or…
Origin of Fukushima prefectural name
FUKUSHIMA – Good Fortune Island 福島県 The “Fukushima” name came from Suginome Castle (杉妻城 or 杉目城) after it was renamed “Fukushima Castle” (福島城) by the Gamo Clan castle lord. No…
Origin of Niigata prefectural name
NIIGATA – New Inlet 新潟県 There are two leading theories about the origin of the Niigata name. Theory 1: The origin dates back to the 16th century and likely refers…
Origin of Miyagi prefectural name
MIYAGI – Shrine & Castle 宮城県 No one knows for sure regarding the origin of the name “Miyagi.” There are multiple theories. Theory 1: “Miya,” meaning shrine, might refer to…
Origin of Yamagata prefectural name
YAMAGATA – Mountain Shape 山形県 The prefecture was named after the castle town of Yamagata where the prefectural capital was located. The castle was built by the Yamagata Clan. ・”Yamagata”…
Origin of Akita prefectural name
AKITA – Autumn Rice Paddies 秋田県 Although “Akita” literally means Autumn Rice Paddies, this meaning is generally not recognized as the original since the current kanji characters are actually ateji…
Origin of Iwate prefectural name
IWATE – Rock Handprints 岩手県 Prefectural name Iwate comes from a local legend. The legend’s setting is Mitsuishi Shrine (三ツ石神社) in Morioka, dedicated to three granite boulders embodying a god…