Mino Province (美濃国, Mino no kuni) was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture.[1] Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviated form name was Nōshū or Jōshū (濃州). Under the Engishiki classification system, Mino was ranked as one of the 13 "great countries" (大国) in terms of importance, and one of the "near countries" (近国) in terms of distance from the capital. The provincial capital and ichinomiya were located in what is now the town of Tarui.
Historical record
"Mino" is an ancient place name, and appears in mokkan wooden tags from the ruins of Asuka-kyō, Fujiwara-kyō, and other ancient sites, but using the kanji "三野国". Per the Kujiki, there were originally three separate countries in Mino, centered around what is now Ōgaki, Ōno, and Kakamigahara. Each had its own Kuni no miyatsuko, and together with Motosu (in eastern Gifu) and Mugetsu (in north-central Gifu), these five entities were joined under Yamato rule to form the province of Mino. The use of the kanji "美濃" is found in the Kojiki and became prevalent in the Nara period. Early Mino included much of Kiso District in Shinano and portions of northern Owari. The route of the ancient Tōsandō highway connecting the ancient capitals of Japan and the eastern provinces passed through Mino, and even in 713 AD, records indicate that the road was widened to accommodate increasing numbers of travelers.[2]
Anpachi District (安八郡) – absorbed parts of Taki District; but lost parts to Kaisai and Shimoishizu Districts to become Kaizu District (海津郡) on April 1, 1896
Atsumi District (厚見郡) – merged with Kakami and parts of Katagata Districts to become Inaba District (稲葉郡) on April 1, 1896
Mushiroda District (席田郡) – merged with former Motosu, parts of Katagata and parts of Ōno (Mino) Districts to become Motosu District (本巣郡) on April 1, 1896
Nakashima District (中島郡) – merged with Haguri District to become Hashima District on April 1, 1896
Ōno District (Mino) (大野郡) – dissolved to split and merged into parts of Motosu and Ibi Districts on April 1, 1896
Taki District (石津郡) – dissolved to split and merged into parts of Yōrō and Anpachi Districts on April 1, 1896