神奈川
Kanagawa
神奈川 · かながわ
Prefecture
Kanto
Kanji Literal Meaning
"Divine River or Gold River"
True Etymology
The origin is debated. One theory reads the characters literally as 'divine' (神) + 'river' (川), suggesting a sacred river. Another theory holds that the characters are phonetic (ateji) for 'kanagawa,' possibly from 'kana' (金, gold/metal) referring to metallic-colored water, or from an Ainu or pre-Yamato word for the local watercourse.
Alternative Theory
A third theory traces 'kana' to an old word for 'shallow' or 'clear,' making Kanagawa simply 'shallow river' or 'clear river.' The deity characters (神) may have been applied later to elevate the name's prestige.
Key Facts
| Capital | Yokohama |
|---|---|
| Region | Kanto |
| Reading | かながわ |
| Pre-Meiji Domains | Odawara Domain, Kanagawa Domain |
| Domain Lords | Ōkubo clan (大久保氏), Inaba clan (稲葉氏) |
| Established | 1871-present |