高知
Kochi
高知 · こうち
Prefecture
Shikoku
Kanji Literal Meaning
"High Land/Wisdom"
True Etymology
The current characters mean 'high' (高) and 'wisdom/knowledge' (知), but these are ateji. The name derives from 'Kawachi' (河中, river center/middle of the river), referring to the castle town's position on land surrounded by the Kagami and Enoki rivers. 'Kawachi' gradually shifted phonetically to 'Kochi.'
Alternative Theory
The domain was renamed from 'Urado' to 'Tosa-Yamauchi' and later the castle town became 'Kochi.' The characters 高知 were chosen for their positive meaning once the phonetic shift had occurred, replacing the geographical 'river-center' origin.
Key Facts
| Capital | Kochi City |
|---|---|
| Region | Shikoku |
| Reading | こうち |
| Pre-Meiji Domains | Tosa Domain (土佐藩) |
| Domain Lords | Yamauchi clan (山内氏) |
| Established | 1871-present |