is the westernmost of the three regions of

Fukushima Prefecture Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,810,286 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miya ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, the other two regions being

Nakadōri is a region comprising the middle third of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It is sandwiched between the regions of Aizu to the west and Hamadōri to the east. The principal cities of the area are Kōriyama and the prefecture's capital, Fukushima ...

in the central area of the prefecture and

Hamadōri is the easternmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two being Nakadōri in the central area of the prefecture and Aizu in the west. Hamadōri is bordered by the Abukuma Highlands to the west and the Pacific Ocean t ...

in the east. As of October 1, 2010, it had a population of 291,838. The principal city of the area is

Aizuwakamatsu is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Aizuwakamatsu is located in the west ...

. It was part of

Mutsu Province was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture. Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the comb ...

; the area once was part of

Iwase Province Map of the former Japanese provinces with Iwase highlighted is an old province of Japan which existed for a brief period of time in the Nara period in what is now western Fukushima Prefecture.Kodama. (1958). 図日本文化史大系, p. 30; exc ...

created during the reign of

Empress Genshō was the 44th monarch of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 元正天皇 (44)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Her reign spanned the years 715 through 724. Genshō was the fifth of eight women to take on th ...

.Meyners d'Estrey, Guillaume Henry Jean (1884). ; excerpt, '' Genshō crée sept provinces : Idzumi,

Noto Noto ( scn, Notu; la, Netum) is a city and in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains. It lends its name to the surrounding area Val di Noto. In 2002 Noto and i ...

, Atoa, Iwaki, Iwase, Suwa et Sado en empiétant sur celles de Kawachi, Echizen, Etchū, Kazusa, Mutsu and Shinano'' The ''Yōrō Ritsuryo'' established the Iwase Province in 718 through the division of the Michinoku Province (

). It was composed of five districts of Shirakawa (白河), Iwase (石背), Aizu (会津), Asaka (安積) and Shinobu (信夫). The area encompassed by the province reverted to Mutsu some time between 722 and 724. During the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

, was a

feudal domain A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. The concept or ...

under the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

which ruled most of the region from

Aizuwakamatsu Castle , also known as Tsuruga Castle (鶴ヶ城 ''Tsuru-ga-jō'') is a concrete replica of a traditional Japanese castle in northern Japan, at the center of the city of Aizuwakamatsu, in Fukushima Prefecture. Background Aizu Wakamatsu Castle is locate ...

.Deal, William E. (2005)
''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81
Following the

Meiji restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, it became part of the short-lived

Iwashiro Province is an old province in the area of Fukushima Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Iwashiro''" in . It was sometimes called . The province occupies the western half of the central part of Fukushima Prefecture; the eastern half is I ...

before becoming a region of Fukushima Prefecture. Although never an official province in its own right, Aizu has a very strong regional identity.

Notable people

(Listed alphabetized by Last Name/First Name in the Japanese convention for clarity) *

Akizuki Teijirō was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, who served the Matsudaira clan of Aizu. Born in Aizuwakamatsu, Akizuki was recognized early as a skilled scholar, and studied at the Tokugawa Shogunate's Shoheizaka school, in Edo. He served as an a ...

(1824–1900), Aizu samurai, educator. *

Dewa Shigetō Baron was a Japanese admiral in the early days of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Biography Dewa was born as the son of a ''samurai'' of the Aizu domain (present day Fukushima prefecture). As a youth, he enlisted in the ''Byakkotai,'' a reserve unit ...

(1856–1930), an admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, elevated to the peerage with the title of ''danshaku'' (baron). * Shiba Gorō (1860–1945), prominent at the Siege of the Peking legations, 1900. * Noguchi Hideyo (1876–1928), a doctor who made considerable contributions to the fight against syphilis and yellow fever. * Ibuka Kajinosuke (1854–1935), former samurai turned Christian pastor, responsible for bringing the YMCA to Japan. * Ito Okei (1852-1871), Japanese woman who immigrated to America as part of the

Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony The Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony is believed to be the first permanent Japanese settlement in North America and the only settlement by samurai outside of Japan. The group was made up of 22 people from samurai families during the Boshin Civi ...

, and subsequently the first to be buried on American soil. * Matsudaira Setsuko (1909–1995), daughter of Matsudaira Tsuneo; later married Prince ''Chichibu no Miya'', Emperor Hirohito's brother. *

Matsudaira Tsuneo was a Japanese diplomat of the 20th century. Diplomatic and political career The son of Lord Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu, Tsuneo served as Japanese Ambassador to the United States. In 1929–1935 served as Ambassador to Britain, and in that ...

(1877–1949), son of Matsudaira Katamori, ambassador to the U.S. and UK. *

Matsudaira Teru Matsudaira Teru (松平照), or Teruhime (, "Princess Teru"), (February 2, 1833 − February 28, 1884) was an aristocrat in Japan during the late Edo period, Edo and early Meiji periods. She participated in the siege of Aizuwakamatsu Castle (Ts ...

(1832–1884), female warrior, she was an aristocrat during the late

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

, she participated in the siege of

. *

Nakano Takeko was a Japanese female warrior of the Aizu Domain, who fought and died during the Boshin War. During the Battle of Aizu, she fought with a naginata (a Japanese polearm) and was the leader of an ad hoc corps of female combatants who fought in ...

(1847–1868), female warrior. *

Niijima Yae , also known as , was a Japanese female warrior, educator, nurse, and scholar of the late Edo period who lived into the early Shōwa period. Her samurai family belonged to the Hoshina clan, loyal to the Tokugawa Shogunate. Skilled in gunnery, ...

(born: Yamamoto Yaeko, 1845–1932), female warrior, co-founder of

Doshisha University , mottoeng = Truth shall make you free , tagline = , established = Founded 1875,Chartered 1920 , vision = , type = Private , affiliation = , calendar = , endowment = €1 ...

, instructor in the women's division of Doshisha and wife of Niijima Jo (

Joseph Hardy Neesima (born ; 12 February 1843 – 23 January 1890), better known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima, was a Japanese Protestant missionary and educator of the Meiji era who founded Doshisha English School (later Doshisha University). He ...

), nurse, tea master *

Saigō Tanomo was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. Chief senior councilor (''hittōgarō'' 筆頭家老) of the Aizu clan, he achieved fame due to his distinguished action in the Boshin War. He adopted the name Hoshina Chikanori (保科近野里). ...

(1830–1903), former chief councilor of the Aizu clan; later, a teacher of Sōkaku Takeda and a chief priest of the Tōshōgū Shrine. * Saitō Kiyoshi (1907–1997), ''

sōsaku-hanga was an art movement of woodblock printing which was conceived in early 20th-century Japan. It stressed the artist as the sole creator motivated by a desire for self-expression, and advocated principles of art that is "self-drawn" (自画 ''jiga' ...

'' artist. * Satō Kei (1928–2010), film actor *

Takamine Hideo was an administrator and educator in Meiji period Japan. Early life Takamine was born to a ''samurai'' family in Aizuwakamatsu domain (present day Fukushima Prefecture) in 1854. After completing his studies in the feudal domain's school, ''Ni ...

(1854–1910), former samurai, graduate of Oswego Normal School in New York State, Meiji-era educator and head of the Tokyo Normal School, Tokyo Art School, Tokyo Women's Normal School and Tokyo Music School. He is best known for introducing Pestallozian teaching methods to Japan and educational reform. *

Takeda Sōkaku was known as the founder of a school of jujutsu known as Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. Life Born in the Aizu domain (Fukushima Prefecture), Sōkaku grew up in the time of the Boshin War. The second son of Takeda Sōkichi, a samurai of the Take ...

, a famous martial artist of Daito Ryu. *

Tokugawa Tsunenari is the present (18th generation) head of the main Tokugawa house. He is the son of Ichirō Matsudaira and Toyoko Tokugawa. His great-grandfather was the famed Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu and his paternal great-grandfather was Tokugawa Iesato. ...

(1940– ), grandson of Matsudaira Tsuneo; current head of the main Tokugawa family. *

Uryu Iwako , also known as Uryū Iwa, was a noted Japanese social worker during the Meiji period. She established a midwifery research institute and relief facility to care for orphans and the poor, and promoted social work and girls' education. Life Iwa ...

(1829–1897), prominent social worker. * Yamakawa Futaba (1844–1909), a co-worker of Takamine Hideo, head administrator at the Tokyo Women's Normal School, she is best known for her support of women's education *

Yamakawa Hiroshi Baron was a Bakumatsu period Aizu ''samurai'' who subsequently became a general in the early Meiji period Imperial Japanese Army, and a noted politician and educator. He was also one of the first persons (together with his brother Yamakawa Kenjir ...

(1845–1898) Brother of Kenjiro and Sutematsu, a notable military leader who defended the domain, later organized Aizu refugees, a key figure in the relief of Kumamoto Garrison during the Seinan War or Satsuma Rebellion and General in the Meiji Era *

Yamamoto Kakuma was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, who went on to become an educator and politician in the Meiji era. Biography A native of Aizu, Yamamoto claimed descent from the famed military strategist Yamamoto Kansuke. A child prodigy, he c ...

(1828–1892), former samurai, co-founder of Doshisha University. *

Yamakawa Kenjirō was a Japanese samurai, politician, physicist, academic administrator, and author of several histories of the Boshin War. He served as president of Tokyo Imperial University, Kyushu Imperial University, and Kyoto Imperial University. He also s ...

(1854–1931), graduate of Yale University, physicist, researcher, academic administrator, President of Tokyo University and Kyoto University *

Yamakawa Sutematsu Yamakawa (characters for "mountain" and "river") may refer to: *Yamakawa, Tokushima, town in Oe District, Tokushima *Yamakawa, Fukuoka, town in Yamato District, Fukuoka * 8923 Yamakawa, asteroid People with the surname * Erika Yamakawa (born 1982) ...

(1860–1919), graduate of Vassar College, after marriage to Oyama Iwao, she was known as Oyama Sutematsu, an organizer at the Rokumeikan, supporter of numerous organizations such as the Red-Cross in Japan and Women's Patriotic Society. She assisted in the founding of Tsuda College (which was organized by her close lifelong friend Tsuda Umeko)

Notes

References

* Noguchi Shinichi, ''Aizu-han''. Tokyo: Gendai Shokan, 2005. () {{Authority control Geography of Fukushima Prefecture

Aizu is the westernmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two regions being Nakadōri in the central area of the prefecture and Hamadōri in the east. As of October 1, 2010, it had a population of 291,838. The princip ...

Tōhoku region