Tohoku Prefectures
6 entries — explore the kanji meanings and true etymologies.
青森
Prefecture
Tohoku
Aomori
青森 (あおもり)
Literal: "Blue/Green Forest"
The name derives from a forested hill on the coast used as a landmark by sailors. The hill, covered in dense evergreen t…
岩手
Prefecture
Tohoku
Iwate
岩手 (いわて)
Literal: "Rocky Hand"
Legend holds that a demon (oni) terrorized the region until a deity pressed the demon's hand into a large rock, leaving …
宮城
Prefecture
Tohoku
Miyagi
宮城 (みやぎ)
Literal: "Palace/Shrine Enclosure"
The name combines 'miya' (宮, shrine or palace) and 'ki/gi' (城, enclosure or castle). It is believed to derive from the a…
秋田
Prefecture
Tohoku
Akita
秋田 (あきた)
Literal: "Autumn Rice Fields"
Despite the kanji suggesting 'autumn' (秋) and 'rice field' (田), the name has no seasonal connection. The dominant theory…
山形
Prefecture
Tohoku
Yamagata
山形 (やまがた)
Literal: "Mountain Shape"
The name is largely literal: the region is surrounded by mountain ranges whose silhouettes from the valley floor form di…
福島
Prefecture
Tohoku
Fukushima
福島 (ふくしま)
Literal: "Fortunate Island"
The name combines 'fuku' (福, good fortune/blessing) and 'shima' (島, island). In the Edo period, 'shima' could refer to a…