Chūgoku literally means "middle country", but the origin of the name is unclear. Historically, Japan was divided into a number of provinces called koku, which were in turn classified according to both their power and their distances from the administrative center in Kansai. Under the latter classification, most provinces are divided into "near countries" (近国, kingoku), "middle countries" (中国, chūgoku), and "far countries" (遠国, ongoku). Therefore, one explanation is that Chūgoku was originally used to refer to the collection of "middle countries" to the west of the capital. However, only five (fewer than half) of the provinces normally considered part of Chūgoku region were in fact classified as middle countries, and the term never applied to the many middle countries to the east of Kansai. Therefore, an alternative explanation is that Chūgoku referred to provinces between Kansai and Kyūshū, which was historically important as the link between Japan and mainland Asia.
Historically, Chūgoku referred to the 16 provinces of San'indō (山陰道) and San'yōdō (山陽道), which led to the region’s alternative name described below. However, because some of the easternmost provinces were later subsumed into prefectures based primarily in Kansai, those areas are, strictly speaking, not part of the Chūgoku region in modern usage.
In Japanese, the characters 中国 and the reading Chūgoku began to be used to mean "China" after the founding of the Republic of China. The same characters are used in Chinese to refer to China, but pronounced Zhōngguó, lit. "Middle Kingdom" or "Middle Country" (Wade Giles: Chung1-kuo2). It is similar to the use of the West Country in English for a region of England.
The city of Hiroshima, the "capital" of the Chūgoku region, was rebuilt after being destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945, and is now an industrial metropolis of more than one million people.
From the founding of the Republic of China to the end of the WW2, China was called shina (支那/シナ, which shares the same etymology of the word "China" in English) in order to avoid confusing the Chūgoku region. Due to the extensive use of this word during the Sino-Japanese War, the term shina has become an offensive word and was abandoned thereafter, and Chūgoku has since then been used instead of shina. In modern times, primarily in the tourism industry, for the same purpose, the Chūgoku region is also called the "San'in‐San'yō region". San'in ("yin of the mountains") is the northern part facing the Sea of Japan. San'yō ("yang of the mountains") is the southern part facing the Seto Inland Sea. These names were created using the yin and yang‐based place‐naming scheme.
The Chūgoku region is characterized by irregular rolling hills and limited plain areas and is divided into two distinct parts by mountains running east and west through its center.
Demographics
The two largest metropolitan areas in Chūgoku region are Hiroshima and Okayama whose total population of the two metropolitan areas amount to 2.808 million as of 2020.[3][4] Their Urban Employment Area amounts to around 3 million people for the Chūgoku region. The rest of Chūgoku region is sparsely populated and very rural.
Per Japanese census data,[5][6] Chūgoku region as a whole has experienced a steady population decline since 1992 with some prefectures within the region experiencing the decline since 1985. The region reached a peak population of roughly 7.8 million in 1991.
^Chugoku Regional Tourism Promotion Association "Overview of Chugoku Region" 2016-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, Chugoku Regional Tourism Portal Site: Navigate Chugoku. Accessed 15 September 2013.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Dolan, Ronald E.; Worden, Robert L., eds. (1992). Japan: A Country Study. Federal Research Division.
Tony Gibb By Bike around Chugoku
External links
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chugoku.
Information about Chugoku and Seto Inland Sea regions
chūgoku, region, chugoku, redirects, here, country, named, chugoku, japanese, china, japanese, 中国地方, hepburn, chūgoku, chihō, tɕɯːɡokɯ, tɕiꜜhoː, also, known, 山陰山陽地方, chihō, region, westernmost, region, honshū, largest, island, japan, consists, prefectures, hir. Chugoku redirects here For the country named Chugoku in Japanese see China The Chugoku region Japanese 中国地方 Hepburn Chugoku chihō IPA tɕɯːɡokɯ tɕiꜜhoː also known as the San in San yō 山陰山陽地方 San in San yō chihō region is the westernmost region of Honshu the largest island of Japan It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima Okayama Shimane Tottori and Yamaguchi 2 In 2010 it had a population of 7 563 428 1 Chugoku region 中国地方RegionThe Chugoku region in JapanGeofeatures map of ChugokuCountryJapanArea Total31 922 26 km2 12 325 25 sq mi Population 1 October 2010 1 Total7 563 428 Density240 km2 610 sq mi Time zoneUTC 9 JST Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Demographics 4 Cities 5 Sightseeing 6 Fiction 7 See also 8 References 9 Bibliography 10 External linksHistory EditChugoku literally means middle country but the origin of the name is unclear Historically Japan was divided into a number of provinces called koku which were in turn classified according to both their power and their distances from the administrative center in Kansai Under the latter classification most provinces are divided into near countries 近国 kingoku middle countries 中国 chugoku and far countries 遠国 ongoku Therefore one explanation is that Chugoku was originally used to refer to the collection of middle countries to the west of the capital However only five fewer than half of the provinces normally considered part of Chugoku region were in fact classified as middle countries and the term never applied to the many middle countries to the east of Kansai Therefore an alternative explanation is that Chugoku referred to provinces between Kansai and Kyushu which was historically important as the link between Japan and mainland Asia Historically Chugoku referred to the 16 provinces of San indō 山陰道 and San yōdō 山陽道 which led to the region s alternative name described below However because some of the easternmost provinces were later subsumed into prefectures based primarily in Kansai those areas are strictly speaking not part of the Chugoku region in modern usage In Japanese the characters 中国 and the reading Chugoku began to be used to mean China after the founding of the Republic of China The same characters are used in Chinese to refer to China but pronounced Zhōngguo lit Middle Kingdom or Middle Country Wade Giles Chung1 kuo2 It is similar to the use of the West Country in English for a region of England The city of Hiroshima the capital of the Chugoku region was rebuilt after being destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945 and is now an industrial metropolis of more than one million people From the founding of the Republic of China to the end of the WW2 China was called shina 支那 シナ which shares the same etymology of the word China in English in order to avoid confusing the Chugoku region Due to the extensive use of this word during the Sino Japanese War the term shina has become an offensive word and was abandoned thereafter and Chugoku has since then been used instead of shina In modern times primarily in the tourism industry for the same purpose the Chugoku region is also called the San in San yō region San in yin of the mountains is the northern part facing the Sea of Japan San yō yang of the mountains is the southern part facing the Seto Inland Sea These names were created using the yin and yang based place naming scheme Overfishing and pollution reduced the productivity of the Inland Sea fishing grounds and San yo is an area concentrated on heavy industry In contrast San in is less industrialized with an agricultural economy Geography Edit Chugoku region and Shikoku seen from the International Space Station Chugoku satellite photoThe Chugoku region consists of the following prefectures Hiroshima Yamaguchi Shimane and Tottori Okayama is also included although only Bitchu Province was considered a Middle Country Mimasaka Province and Bizen Province the other two components of modern day Okayama were considered Near Countries Kyushu Shikoku and Kansai neighbor the Chugoku region The Chugoku region is characterized by irregular rolling hills and limited plain areas and is divided into two distinct parts by mountains running east and west through its center Demographics EditThe two largest metropolitan areas in Chugoku region are Hiroshima and Okayama whose total population of the two metropolitan areas amount to 2 808 million as of 2020 3 4 Their Urban Employment Area amounts to around 3 million people for the Chugoku region The rest of Chugoku region is sparsely populated and very rural Per Japanese census data 5 6 Chugoku region as a whole has experienced a steady population decline since 1992 with some prefectures within the region experiencing the decline since 1985 The region reached a peak population of roughly 7 8 million in 1991 Historical populationYearPop 19204 971 000 19305 341 000 7 4 19405 718 000 7 1 19506 797 000 18 9 19606 944 000 2 2 19706 997 000 0 8 19807 586 000 8 4 19907 746 000 2 1 20007 732 499 0 2 20107 563 428 2 2 20207 328 339 3 1 Cities EditDesignated citiesHiroshima population 1 200 000 Okayama population 720 000 Hiroshima City Okayama CityCore citiesKurashiki population 480 000 Fukuyama population 460 000 Shimonoseki population 260 000 Kure population 220 000 Matsue population 210 000 Tottori population 200 000 Kurashiki City Fukuyama City Shimonoseki City Kure City Matsue City Tottori CityOther major citiesYamaguchi population 200 000 Yamaguchi CitySightseeing EditHiroshima Prefecture Hiroshima Miyajima Fukuyama Onomichi Okayama Prefecture Okayama Kurashiki Takahashi Tsuyama Niimi Bizen Tamano Shimane Prefecture Tsuwano Izumo Matsue Iwami Ginzan Tottori Prefecture Tottori Misasa Daisen Kurayoshi Yamaguchi Prefecture Shimonoseki Yamaguchi Iwakuni Hofu Hagi AkiyoshidaiFiction EditLian Hearn used a feudal Chugoku translated as the Middle Country as the setting for her Tales of the Otori trilogy In B Ichi Chugoku is referred to as the land of martial arts See also EditGeography of Japan List of regions in Japan Names of China San in region San yō region Chugoku dialect and Umpaku dialectReferences Edit a b Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau 26 October 2011 平成 22 年国勢調査の概要 PDF Retrieved 6 May 2012 Chugoku Regional Tourism Promotion Association Overview of Chugoku Region Archived 2016 08 07 at the Wayback Machine Chugoku Regional Tourism Portal Site Navigate Chugoku Accessed 15 September 2013 Hiroshima metro Okayama metro Hiroshima 1995 2020 population statistics Chugoku region 1920 2000 population statisticsBibliography Edit This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Dolan Ronald E Worden Robert L eds 1992 Japan A Country Study Federal Research Division Tony Gibb By Bike around ChugokuExternal links Edit Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chugoku Information about Chugoku and Seto Inland Sea regions Into You WEST JAPAN Chugoku35 03 N 134 04 E 35 050 N 134 067 E 35 050 134 067 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chugoku region amp oldid 1147678841, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
