香川
Kagawa
香川 · かがわ
Prefecture
Shikoku
Kanji Literal Meaning
"Fragrant River"
True Etymology
The name means 'fragrant river' (香 = fragrance/aroma, 川 = river). The origin likely refers to a river whose clear, pure water or surrounding flora gave it a pleasant scent, or more symbolically, a river associated with abundance and prosperity (fragrance as a metaphor for richness).
Alternative Theory
A more prosaic theory holds that 'ka' is an ancient phonetic rendering rather than the character for fragrance, and the original meaning may have been 'rushing river' or 'river with a distinctive sound,' with the fragrance character applied later for aesthetic reasons.
Key Facts
| Capital | Takamatsu |
|---|---|
| Region | Shikoku |
| Reading | かがわ |
| Pre-Meiji Domains | Takamatsu Domain, Marugame Domain |
| Domain Lords | Matsudaira clan (松平氏), Kyōgoku clan (京極氏) |
| Established | 1871-present |