National government office

Japanese: 国府 - こくふ

The location of the provincial government office (kokuga, local government office) under the Ritsuryo system. The word kokufu was used as early as the Nara period, and the location was decided by the central government and was not necessarily located in the center of the province. In accordance with the post road system (→ relay system) established during the Taika Reforms, it is believed that the location was chosen based on a convenient transportation location for governing the province and closest to the central government. For example, the provincial government office of Echizen was located in Fuchu, Nyu County (present-day Takefu City, Fukui Prefecture), leaning to the southwest. The provincial government office of Echizen was located in Fushiki Town, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, and the provincial government office of Echigo was located in Naoetsu City, Niigata Prefecture (present-day Joetsu City), both of which were located to the west, a situation seen in many provinces far from the center. Examples include the provincial government office of Mutsu in the northeast and Dazaifu in Tsukushi in the southwest. The scale of the provincial capital can be roughly estimated from the remains of the Suo Kokufu (→ Suo Kokuga Ruins). Like the central government offices, the area was surrounded by high earthen ramparts (Rajo), covering an area of eight cho on each side. Within this area were the residences of officials, the provincial government office two cho north of the center, and various offices such as the tax office (saisho) and zasho (zusho), where the kokushi (provincial governors) conducted government affairs. With the collapse of the kokushi system and the rise of the samurai, after the Kamakura period, these functions were taken over by the shugosho (guardian offices) established nearby. Today, place names such as Kokufu, Kofu, and Fuchu were the locations of the provincial capitals. The place name Kokubu is a confusion of the locations of the provincial capital and the provincial temple.

Kokufu

This is a former town area in the eastern part of Tottori City, in the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture. It is located in the Fukuro River basin that originates from Oginoyama. In 1957, Ubeno Village and Taisei Village were merged to form a town. In 2004, it was incorporated into Tottori City. It was the political center of ancient Inaba Province, and the name comes from the fact that the provincial capital was located there. Most of the area is mountainous, with many beautiful forests of cedar and cypress. It produces Nijisseiki pears and vegetables. The grave site of Ifukibe Tokotarihime, the ruins of Tochimoto Temple, the grave of the Ikeda family, the feudal lords of Tottori, the ruins of the Inaba Provincial Office, and the Kajiyama Kofun with its painted murals are national historic sites. There are many historical sites, such as Ube Shrine, the Ichinomiya of Inaba Province, the stone hall of Okamasu, and the remains of the jori system, and the wooden statues of Yakushi Nyorai and Kisshoten at Gakugyoin in Matsuo are national important cultural properties. Part of the area belongs to Hyonosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park.

Kokufu

This is a former town area in the central-western part of Toyokawa City, in the southeastern part of Aichi Prefecture. It was incorporated as a town in 1894. In 1943, it was merged with Toyokawa Town, Ushikubo Town, and Yahata Village to form Toyokawa City. The name of the area comes from the fact that the provincial government office of Mikawa Province was located here, and in the neighboring area of Yahata, there are the nationally designated historic sites of Mikawa Kokubunji Temple and Mikawa Kokubunji Nunnery Temple, as well as Hachiman Shrine (the main hall is a nationally designated important cultural property). It developed as a market town along the Tokaido Road, and became a commercial area for the surrounding farming villages. With the Nagoya Railroad and National Route 1 passing through the area, it has good transportation conditions and has become rapidly urbanized.

Kokufu

This is the former town area of the north-central part of Takayama City in northern Gifu Prefecture. It occupies the southern part of the Furukawa Basin, which spreads across the middle reaches of the Miyagawa River. It was established as a town in 1964. It was incorporated into Takayama City in 2005. The town's name comes from the fact that it was the location of the provincial capital of Hida. It is rich in cultural assets and historical sites, including the national treasure Ankokuji Sutra Storehouse. The northwestern part belongs to the Utsue Shijuhachitaki Prefectural Natural Park.

Kokufu

The area is located on the south bank of the Yoshino River in eastern Tokushima Prefecture, and was incorporated into Tokushima City in 1967. It occupies the alluvial plain between the Yoshino River and its tributary, the Akui River. The site of the ancient provincial capital is in Fuchu, and it is now an agricultural suburb.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

令制の国衙 (こくが。地方行政官庁) の所在地。国府という言葉はすでに奈良時代からみられ，その所在地は中央の意思で決定され，必ずしもその国の中心にあったとはかぎらない。大化改新の際制定された駅路の制 (→駅伝制度 ) に従い，その国を統治するのに便利な交通の要地で，中央政府に最も近い地点が選ばれたものと思われる。たとえば，越前の国府は丹生郡府中 (現在の福井県武生市) にあって，南西に偏している。越中の国府は現在の富山県高岡市伏木町に，越後の国府は新潟県直江津市 (現在の上越市) にあって，いずれも西にかたよった位置にあり，このことは，中央から遠く離れた国々に多くみられる。北東端の陸奥の国府，南西の筑紫の大宰府などもその例である。国府の規模は，周防国府の遺構によって，だいたい想定することができる (→周防国衙跡 ) 。方8町の地域に，中央の政庁と同様に高い土塁 (羅城) をめぐらし，その中に官人の居宅と，中央より北に方2町の国衙とがあり，税所 (さいしょ) ，調所 (ずしょ) などの諸局があって，そこで国司が政務をとった。国司制度の崩壊と武士の興隆によって，鎌倉時代以後は，その付近に設けられた守護所にその機能が引継がれていった。現在，国府，古府，府中などといわれる地名は，国府の所在地であった。また国分 (こくぶ) という地名は，国府と国分寺との所在地を混同したものである。

国府
こくふ

鳥取県東部，鳥取市東部の旧町域。扇ノ山に発する袋川流域に位置する。 1957年宇倍野村と大成村が合体して町制。 2004年鳥取市に編入。古代因幡国の政治の中心地で，地名は国府があったことに由来する。山地が大半を占め，スギ，ヒノキの美林が多い。二十世紀梨，野菜を産する。伊福吉部徳足比売 (いふきべとこたりひめ) 墓跡と栃本廃寺跡，鳥取藩主池田家墓所，因幡国庁跡，彩色壁画の梶山古墳は国の史跡。因幡国の一の宮である宇倍神社，岡益の石堂，条里制遺構などの旧跡が多く，松尾にある学行院の木像薬師如来と吉祥天は国の重要文化財。一部は氷ノ山後山那岐山国定公園に属する。

国府
こう

愛知県南東部，豊川市中西部の旧町域。1894年町制施行。1943年豊川町，牛久保町，八幡村と合体して豊川市となった。地名は三河国の国衙が置かれたことに由来し，隣接地の八幡に国指定史跡の三河国分寺跡と三河国分尼寺跡，および八幡宮（本殿が国指定重要文化財）がある。東海道に沿う市場町として発展し，周辺農村の商業地となった。名古屋鉄道，国道1号線が通って交通条件がよく，都市化が進んだ。