Oki Province ( ?岐? , Oki no kuni ) was a province of Japan consisted of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan , located off the coast of the provinces of Izumo and H?ki . The area is now Oki District in modern Shimane Prefecture . ^[1] Its abbreviated form name was Onsh? or Insh? ( ?州 ) ,

Oki is classified as one of the provinces of the San'ind? . ^[1] Under the Engishiki classification system, Oki was ranked as an "inferior country" (下?) and a "far country" (遠?).

History [ edit ]

The Oki Islands have been settled since the Japanese Paleolithic period, and numerous remains from the J?mon , Yayoi and Kofun periods indicates continuous human occupation and activity. It was organized as a province under the Ritsury? reforms in the later half of the seventh century, and the name "Oki-no-kuni" appears on wooden markers found in the imperial capital of Nara .

During the late Heian period , due to its remoteness, Oki Province came to known as a place for political exile. In 1221, Emperor Go-Toba was sent to Oki, and died in exile on the islands; ^[2] In 1332, Emperor Go-Daigo was also sent in exile to Oki, but later managed to escape and regain control of the country. ^[3]

From the Kamakura period Oki Province was governed primarily by the shugo of Izumo Province. In the Muromachi period , it was ruled successively by the Sasaki clan , the Yamana clan and the Ky?goku clan . In the Sengoku period the Amago clan held this province. After the Amago fell and the Tokugawa shogunate was established, Oki Province was declared a tenry? dominion under the direct control of the sh?gun . The daimy? of Matsue Domain , belonging to the Matsudaira clan , was appointed governor.

The entire province had an assessed revenue of only 18,000 koku , although its actual revenues were closer to only 12,000 koku . The province was a frequent port of call for the Kitamaebune coastal trading ships during the Edo period . The exact location of the capital of the province is not known, but is believed to have been somewhere within Suki District on D?gojima , within the borders of the modern town of Okinoshima . The Kokubun-ji still exists as a Shingon sect temple in Okinoshima, and the foundation stones of many of the original buildings can be found within its grounds, although a complete archaeological investigation has yet to be performed. There are two Shinto shrines which claim the title of Ichinomiya of the province. The Mizuwakasu Jinja ( 水若酢神社 ) in Okinoshima, and the Yurahime Jinja ( 由良比女神社 ) in Nishinoshima .

Following the Meiji Restoration , Oki Province became Oki Prefecture from February to June 1869. It was then attached to Tottori Prefecture until 1876, when it was transferred to Shimane Prefecture .

Historical districts [ edit ]

Oki Province was originally divided into four districts . All of the districts were merged into Oki District (?岐郡) on April 1, 1969.

• Shimane Prefecture
  • Ama District (海士郡)
  • Chibu District (知夫郡)
  • ?chi District (?地郡)
  • Suki District (周吉郡)

Notes [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frederic and Kathe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia . Cambridge: Harvard University Press . ISBN   978-0-674-01753-5 ; OCLC 58053128
• Papinot, Edmond. (1910). Historical and Geographic Dictionary of Japan . Tokyo: Librarie Sansaisha. OCLC 77691250
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon ?dai Ichiran ; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon . Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691

External links [ edit ]

Media related to Oki Province at Wikimedia Commons

• Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903