Shinano Province (信濃国, Shinano no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [ɕiꜜ.na.no (no kɯ.ɲi), ɕi.na.noꜜ-]) or Shinshū (信州; [ɕiꜜɰ̃.ɕɯː]) is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture.
Shinano bordered Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, which became an important city of the province.
The Nakasendō (中山道, Central Mountain Route), also called the Kisokaidō (木曾街道), was one of the centrally administered five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected the de facto capital of Japan at Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto. There were 69 stations (staging-posts) between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces. In addition to Tokyo and Kyoto, the Nakasendō runs through the modern-day prefectures of Saitama, Gunma, Nagano, Gifu and Shiga, with a total distance of about 534 km (332 mi).
Unlike the coastal Tōkaidō, the Nakasendō traveled inland, hence its name, which can be translated as "中 = central; 山 = mountain; 道 = route" (as opposed to the Tōkaidō, which roughly meant "eastern sea route"). Because it was such a well-developed road, many famous persons, including the haiku master Matsuo Bashō, traveled the road. In the late 1830s Hiroshige also walked the Nakasendo, contributing 46 designs to a series of 69 views of the Nakasendo, which was later completed by Keisai Eisen.
The Battles of Kawanakajima (川中島の戦い, Kawanakajima no tatakai) were a series of battles fought in the Sengoku period of Japan between Takeda Shingen of Kai Province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo Province from 1553 to 1564. Shingen and Kenshin contested each other for control of the plain of Kawanakajima between the Sai River and Chikuma River in northern Shinano Province, located in the present-day city of Nagano. The battles were triggered after Shingen conquered Shinano, expelling Ogasawara Nagatoki and Murakami Yoshikiyo, who subsequently turned to Kenshin for help.
Five major battles of Kawanakajima occurred: Fuse in 1553, Saigawa in 1555, Uenohara in 1557, Hachimanbara in 1561, and Shiozaki in 1564. The most famous and severe battle was fought on 18 October 1561 in the heart of the Kawanakajima plain, thus being known the Battle of Kawanakajima. The battles were ultimately inconclusive and neither Shingen nor Kenshin established their control over the plain of Kawanakajima.
Kai Province (甲斐国, Kai no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [kaꜜi (no kɯ.ɲi)]) was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Yamanashi Prefecture. Kai bordered on Sagami, Suruga, Shinano and Musashi Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was Kōshū (甲州; [koꜜː.ɕɯː]). The origin of its name is uncertain. It lies in central Honshū, west of Tokyo, in a landlocked mountainous region that includes Mount Fuji along its border with modern Shizuoka Prefecture.
Echigo Province (越後国, Echigo no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [eꜜ.tɕi.ɡo (no kɯ.ɲi), -tɕi.ŋo-, e.tɕiꜜ.ɡo-, -tɕiꜜ.ŋo-, e.tɕi.ɡoꜜ, -tɕi.ŋoꜜ-]) was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen, Iwashiro, Kōzuke, Shinano, and Etchū Provinces. It corresponds today to Niigata Prefecture, minus the island of Sado.
Its abbreviated form name was Esshū (越州), with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Under the Engishiki classification system, Echigo was ranked as one of the 35 "superior countries" (上国) in terms of importance, and one of the 30 "far countries" (遠国) in terms of distance from the capital Kyoto.
Ogasawara Nagatoki (小笠原長時) (November 9, 1519 – April 17, 1583) was a Japanese samurai daimyō of Shinano Province in the Sengoku period.
Okutono Domain (奥殿藩, Okutono-han), also known as Okudono, was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Kamo District and Nukata Districts of Mikawa Province (part of modern Aichi Prefecture), and in Saku District, Shinano Province, (part of modern Nagano Prefecture) Japan. The domain was also known as Ogyū Domain (大給藩, Ogyū-han) and later known as Tanoguchi Domain (田野口藩, Tanoguchi-han) and Tatsuoka Domain (龍岡藩, Tatsuoka-han). The ruling family was the Ogyū-Matsudaira clan.
Mikawa Province (三河国, Mikawa no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [mʲiꜜ.ka.wa (no kɯ.ɲi), mʲi.ka.waꜜ-]) was an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Its abbreviated form name was Sanshū (三州 or 参州). Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces.
Mikawa is classified as one of the provinces of the Tōkaidō. Under the Engishiki classification system, Mikawa was ranked as a "superior country" (上国) and a "near country" (近国) in terms of its distance from the capital.
Mino Province (美濃国, Mino no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [mʲiꜜ.no (no kɯ.ɲi), mʲi.noꜜ-]) was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviated form name was Nōshū or Jōshū (濃州). Under the Engishiki classification system, Mino was ranked as one of the 13 "great countries" (大国) in terms of importance, and one of the "near countries" (近国) in terms of distance from the capital. The provincial capital and ichinomiya were located in what is now the town of Tarui.
Kōzuke Province (上野国, Kōzuke no Kuni; Japanese pronunciation: [koꜜː.(d)zɯ.ke (no kɯ.ɲi)]) was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Gunma Prefecture. Kōzuke bordered Echigo, Shinano, Musashi and Shimotsuke Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was Jōshū (上州; [dʑoꜜː.ɕɯː]). Under the Engishiki classification system, Kōzuke was ranked as one of the 13 "great countries" (大国) in terms of importance, and one of the 30 "far countries" (遠国) in terms of distance from the imperial capital, Kyoto. The provincial capital is located in what is now the city of Maebashi; however, its exact location remains uncertain. The ichinomiya of the province is located in what is now the city of Tomioka.