Chugoku region - Chugoku region

Japanese: 中国地方 - ちゅうごくちほう

This region occupies the western edge of Honshu, jutting out west from the northwestern part of the Kinki region, and presents a peninsula-like topography measuring approximately 350 km from east to west and 45 to 140 km from north to south. To the north, it faces the Korean Peninsula and Primorsky region on the eastern edge of the Asian continent across the Sea of Japan, while to the south, it faces the Shikoku region across the Seto Inland Sea, and at its southwestern end, it is adjacent to Kitakyushu across the narrow Kanmon Strait. The coastline on the Sea of Japan side is relatively monotonous, but about 40 km north of the Shimane Peninsula are the Oki Islands, a remote island in the Sea of Japan. The Seto Inland Sea side has a complex coastline with many islands and small peninsulas, and is dotted with many islands of various sizes, including Suo-Oshima, Kurahashijima, and Innoshima. Administratively, it is made up of five prefectures, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi, with an area of 31,909 square kilometers (1996), accounting for 8.5% of the total land area of Japan. It is said that the name "Chugoku" region came about because in ancient times, when the area was divided into nearby, Chinese, and distant regions, centering on Kinai, most of this region corresponded to Chugoku, in contrast to the distant regions of Kyushu, but its origins are not entirely clear.

The Chugoku region is located between Kitakyushu, which has been a pioneer in the reception of continental culture since ancient times, and Kinai, the central region of the Yamato Imperial Court, and has been a cultural, political, and economic corridor. The Seto Inland Sea and its coastal Sanyo region have played an especially important role as major sea and land transportation routes stretching from east to west. Even today, large, highly efficient factories, especially those for petrochemicals and steel, have expanded along the inland sea coast, forming the Seto Inland Sea Industrial Region and occupying part of the Pacific Belt Zone.

In regional divisions, it is often treated as the Chugoku-Shikoku region. This is because the Sanyo coast of the Chugoku region, the Seto Inland Sea, and the so-called Setouchi region of northern Shikoku share a common historical background and industrial economy in terms of geological structure and climatic environment. The Chugoku region is divided into the San'in coast, which is centered on agriculture and fisheries, the Chugoku Mountains, where livestock farming and forestry are thriving, and the San'yo coast, where advanced agriculture and heavy chemical industrialization are prominent.

[Hajime Miura]

Nature

The Chugoku region is mostly mountainous and hilly, with several basins in between, and most of the coastal areas are submerged, with small plains.

The Sekiryo mountain range, which divides the Chugoku region into Sanyo and Sanin, stretches from east to west at an altitude of 800 to 1,300 meters in the north, but it forms a gently sloping plateau and is thought to be a relic of a high-level eroded flat surface. Representative mountains include Mt. Hyonosen (1,510 meters), Mt. Nagi (1,240 meters), Mt. Dogo (1,271 meters), Mt. Osorakan (1,346 meters), and Mt. Kanmuri (1,339 meters), all of which are included in quasi-national parks. The vast Kibi Plateau, at an altitude of around 500 meters, spreads out to the south of the Sekiryo mountain range, occupying most of Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures, and within it are developed basins such as Tsuyama, Katsuyama, Saijo, Miyoshi, and Yamaguchi. The Kibi Plateau is known as a rare elevated peneplain in western Japan, and is considered a moderately eroded flat surface. The Iwami Plateau, which has the same characteristics, is found in the western half of Shimane Prefecture, and most of Yamaguchi Prefecture is a continuous topography of these plateaus, but erosion has progressed and the area has been divided into small mountain massifs. On the southern side of the Kibi Plateau, hilly areas 100 to 200 meters high have developed in a scattered manner up to the coast, and are particularly prevalent in the area north of Ube in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and the hilly areas around the Fukuyama Plain and Okayama Plain have the same topography. These are called the Seto Inland Sea surface, and are considered to be a low-level eroded flat surface.

To the north of the Chugoku Mountain Range, a group of volcanoes belonging to the Hakusan volcanic system erupt, including Mt. Daisen (1,729 meters) in Tottori prefecture, Mt. Sanbe (1,126 meters) and Mt. Aono (907 meters) in Shimane prefecture, and many hot springs are distributed along the San'in coast, including Misasa, Kaike, Tamatsukuri, Sanbe, and Yunotsu. Limestone is also distributed throughout the area, and in Atetsu Plateau in Okayama Prefecture, Taishaku Plateau in Hiroshima Prefecture, and Akiyoshi Plateau in Yamaguchi Prefecture, special depressions (dolines, ubaare) have developed due to erosion, and numerous caves have formed beneath the plateau. In particular, Akiyoshi Cave in Akiyoshi Plateau is known as one of Japan's largest limestone caves and has been designated a Special Natural Monument.

Rivers in the Chugoku region are generally short. The longest is the Gono River, which stretches 194 kilometers and has a drainage area of 3,870 square kilometers. It flows through the Miyoshi Basin, crosses the Chugoku Mountains and enters the Sea of Japan. The Chugoku region is home to many short rivers, and the plains are also small, with the Okayama Plain and Izumo Plain being slightly larger. The Okayama Plain is the largest plain in the Chugoku region, consisting of a delta plain created by the Yoshii River, Asahi River, and Takahashi River, and reclaimed land since the early modern period. It is famous for its advanced mechanized agriculture and horticulture. The Izumo Plain on the San'in side is a delta plain formed when a sunken area inside the Shimane Peninsula was filled in by the active sedimentation of the Hii River. The remaining lake, Lake Shinji, is a shallow lake with an area of 79.1 square kilometers (the seventh largest in Japan) and just 6 meters deep at its deepest point. Lake Nakaumi to the east is landlocked by the Yumigahama sandbar and has an area of 86.2 square kilometers (the fifth largest in Japan). Both are brackish lakes.

The coastline on the San'in side is relatively monotonous, whereas the Seto Inland Sea side has many inlets and outlets, and is complex with small peninsulas, islands, and straits. This is because the sea level rose from the beginning of the Holocene (Alluvial Epoch), causing seawater to invade lowlands and form the Seto Inland Sea. The coast on the San'in side faces the Sea of Japan, and is subject to strong seasonal winds, and is characterized by the development of sand dunes such as the Tottori Sand Dunes and Yumigahama Beach.

The climate is divided into two regions, the San'in type with its many cloudy skies and the San'yo (Setouchi) type with its little precipitation, with the Chugoku Mountains as the border, but the annual average temperature (average value from 1971 to 2000) is 14.6°C in Tottori and 15.8°C in Okayama, and due to the influence of the Tsushima Warm Current from the Sea of Japan, there is not much difference between San'in and San'yo. The annual precipitation is 1,897.7 mm in Tottori and 1,141 mm in Okayama, with the San'yo side belonging to the Setouchi type, known as an area with little rainfall in Japan, while the Chugoku Mountains and Shikoku Mountains block the seasonal winds, and the San'yo coast is characterized by warm temperatures and little rain. However, the western Setouchi coast receives slightly more precipitation, with 1,540.6 mm in Hiroshima and 1,684.9 mm in Shimonoseki, and Yamaguchi Prefecture is also frequently hit by typhoons, so it is closer to the Kyushu type.

The vegetation of the Chugoku region is mostly warm temperate broadleaf forest, with cool temperate deciduous forest found in some of the high mountains of the Chugoku Mountains. The natural vegetation of western Japan is represented by Machilus forests on the plains, Castanopsis forests on the hills, and Oak forests on the mountains, but it has been significantly altered by human activity since the Jomon period, and the destruction of natural forests has been more advanced in the Chugoku region than in other regions, with black pine forests in the coastal areas and secondary forests consisting mainly of red pine forests in many places, up to a considerable altitude inland. Another noteworthy natural vegetation is the unique broadleaf evergreen forests consisting mainly of Quercus phillyraeoides, which are widespread along the Pacific coast and are drought-resistant and are particularly well developed along the Seto Inland Sea coast and on islands, where precipitation is low.

Beech forests, representative of cool temperate forests, appear at an altitude of around 700 meters in Yamaguchi Prefecture, but on the Sanin side, due to the influence of winter seasonal winds and snowfall, they can be seen at altitudes of 500 to 600 meters, and are of the Japan Sea type with Kurile bamboo on the forest floor, which differs from the beech forests in the Shikoku Mountains. The pure beech forests of Mt. Hiba are famous as a national natural monument. In the Chugoku Mountains, there are only a few mountains over 1,300 meters, and it is noteworthy that there are no subalpine coniferous forests (such as Shikoku Shirabe forests) like those in the Shikoku Mountains.

[Hajime Miura]

industry

The employment-population ratio by industry (1995) was 8.3% for primary industry, slightly higher than the national average of 5.9%, with Shimane and Tottori prefectures on the Sanin side ranking 8th and 7th in the nation in particular, while Okayama and Yamaguchi prefectures were slightly higher than the national average, and Hiroshima was roughly on par with the rest of the nation. In contrast, secondary industry in the Chugoku region accounted for 32.1%, close to the national average of 31.5%. Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures were particularly on par with the rest of the nation, with Okayama being slightly higher than the national average. Tertiary industry was 59.1%, with Hiroshima roughly on par with the rest of the nation, but the other four prefectures were below the national average of 61.8%.

Agriculture was developed early on, and much of the land has been cultivated, but in recent years there has been a marked decline. The cultivated land area per farm household (1994) was 0.7 hectares, far less than the national average of 1.4 hectares, and while the number of farm households in Okayama Prefecture accounted for 10.9% of the national total, their cultivated land area was only 5.8% and gross agricultural production (1994) was only 5.6%. The rice harvest volume (1994) of the five Chugoku prefectures accounted for 7.6% of the nation's total. Yields per hectare in 1994 were slightly lower than the national average (544 kilograms), with only Tottori Prefecture (569 kilograms) having a higher yield. Of the five prefectures, Okayama Prefecture had the largest harvest volume, accounting for 28% of the Chugoku region's total. In fruit cultivation (1995), each prefecture has its own characteristics: Okayama Prefecture is a nationally renowned fruit prefecture, ranking 4th in the nation for grapes and 6th for peaches, Hiroshima Prefecture is rich in citrus fruits, with mandarins coming in 8th and navel oranges coming in 2nd, and Yamaguchi Prefecture is 10th for natsumikan and 4th for iyokan. Tottori Prefecture is the top producer of pears, accounting for 14% of the nation's total, and is also a pioneer in sandy land agriculture that makes use of sand dunes, and is known for its specialty crops of shallots, Chinese yams, green onions, and watermelons. Livestock farming is thriving in the Chugoku Mountains and the Kibi Plateau, with Shimane and Okayama prefectures raising large numbers of livestock. The area is known for its dairy farming on the Hiruzen Plateau, and beef cattle such as Jinseki cattle, Hiba cattle in northern Hiroshima Prefecture, and Hoki cattle around Mt. Daisen, and the mountain basins of Tsuyama and Miyoshi are bustling with cattle markets.

Forestry accounts for 7.6% of the nation's timber production, and many of the forests are privately owned. It once played an important role in charcoal production, but has now declined. Famous examples include the beautiful cedar forests near Chizu in Tottori Prefecture (a protected academic reference forest) and the red pine forests of Namera National Forest in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The fishing industry is thriving, with the Sea of Japan, where warm and cold currents flow, and the Seto Inland Sea, where waves are calm. Many fishing ports have developed along the coast, and the catch volume (1994) was about 12.8% of the national total, with Shimane Prefecture ranking 4th and Tottori Prefecture ranking 8th. Major fishing ports include Sakai, Etomo, Hamada, Senzaki, and Shimonoseki. In the Sea of Japan, the Oki Bank between the Shimane Peninsula and the Oki Islands and the Yamato Bank to the north are good fishing grounds, and many horse mackerel, mackerel, and sardines are caught using purse seine nets, and Matsuba crab and flatfish are caught using bottom trawls. The Seto Inland Sea has a wide variety of fishing methods and a large number of fish species due to its complex ocean conditions, but the catch volume has decreased due to industrialization and urbanization of coastal reclaimed land, and there are many small-scale fishermen. There is a shift to farming and aquaculture of yellowtail, kuruma shrimp, etc. Oyster farming in Hiroshima Bay began in the Edo period and is known throughout the country as a local specialty.

In industry, industries that made use of local raw materials and resources developed in various regions, such as tatara ironworks in the mountains from early on, salt and soda manufacturing from the Meiji period onwards, limestone development and the cement industry, wax stone mining and the firebrick industry, cotton growing and cotton spinning, etc. At present, the five Chugoku prefectures account for 7.0% of the national total in industrial shipments (1995), and if the three prefectures of Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi are considered the Setouchi Industrial Region, this accounts for 6.3%, making the region an important region next to the Keihin, Hanshin, Chukyo and Northern Kanto regions. This is due to the concentrated expansion and expansion of large factories in heavy chemical industries, especially the steel and petrochemical industries, as well as machinery, chemical and metal industries, during Japan's period of high economic growth. Major modern industries include petrochemicals, steel, and automobiles in Mizushima, Kurashiki, shipbuilding in Kure, steel in Fukuyama, automobiles in Hiroshima, petrochemicals in Iwakuni and Otake, soda and petrochemicals in Shunan, and chemical fertilizers in Ube. Traditional industries such as flower mats in Kurashiki, geta wooden clogs in Matsunaga, Fukuyama, chests of drawers in Fuchu, Bizen ware in Bizen, and Hagi ware in Hagi are also known nationwide. Meanwhile, on the Sanin side, pulp, steel, and seafood processing have developed, centered around Yonago and Sakaiminato, and Iwami tile production is thriving in cities such as Gotsu.

[Hajime Miura]

traffic

The JR Sanyo Main Line, Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen, National Route 2, which runs parallel to it, the Chugoku Expressway that runs through the inland area, and the Sanyo Expressway that runs through the Sanyo coast are all land arteries that form part of the transportation arteries not only of the Chugoku region but of the entire country. All of these converge in Shimonoseki City, on the western edge of the Chugoku region, and are closely connected to Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits by the Kanmon Railway Tunnel, the New Kanmon Tunnel, the Kanmon National Highway Tunnel, and the Kanmon Bridge. Along the Sanin coast, there is the Sanin Main Line, and National Highways 9 and 191 (west of Masuda) running parallel to it. Crossing the Chugoku Mountains, there are many Yin-Yang linking routes such as the JR Inbi Line, Tsuyama Line, Hakubi Line, Kisuki Line, Geibi Line, Yamaguchi Line, etc., which link these east-west traffic routes to the north and south, as well as National Highways 53, 54, and 187. Development of expressways such as the Chugoku Trans-Island Expressway (Hiroshima-Hamada Line, Onomichi-Matsue Line, Okayama-Yonago Line, Himeji-Tottori Line) is also underway. There are also airports in Tottori, Oki, Yonago, Izumo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi-Ube, Hagi, and Iwami, which connect to Tokyo, Osaka, and other areas.

Maritime traffic on the Seto Inland Sea, which could be called an industrial canal, has developed since early times, especially in the east-west sea routes connecting Kitakyushu and Hanshin, but the volume of cargo handled at coastal ports such as Mizushima, Fukuyama, Onomichi, Hiroshima, Iwakuni, Tokuyama, and Shimonoseki is large. In addition to coastal routes connecting the Sanyo coastal cities and islands, Chugoku-Shikoku sea routes such as Hiroshima-Matsuyama and Yanai-Matsuyama have also developed. In response to this new transportation revolution, the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge was planned, and on the Onomichi-Imabari route, following the Omishima Bridge (1979) and Innoshima Bridge (1983), the Tatara Bridge (Ikuchijima-Omijima) and Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge (Oshima-Imabari) were opened in May 1999. This marks the full opening of the 60-kilometer Imabari-Onomichi route (Setouchi Shimanami Kaido). The Great Seto Bridge on the Kojima-Sakai route was also opened in 1988, ushering in a new era of inland sea transportation.

[Hajime Miura]

development

Under the Comprehensive National Land Development Law of 1950, three areas were designated as special regions: Daisen-Izumo, Geihoku, and Nishikigawa. Daisen-Izumo pioneers established dairy farming villages in Katori in Daisen, while the Tarutoko Dam in Geihoku and the Sugano Dam in Nishikigawa were constructed, and the development of electricity, industrial water, and urban water use was promoted. The Comprehensive National Development Plan of 1963 aimed to rectify regional disparities by designating two new industrial cities, Okayama-ken Minami and Nakaumi, which would use regional cities as development bases, and two special industrial development regions, Bingo and Shunan, which already had a certain level of development infrastructure. In both regions, land reclamation and land reclamation were carried out, and heavy chemical industries, mainly steel and petrochemicals, and machinery, metals, and chemicals, grew significantly, but because they were biased toward coastal heavy chemical industries that relied heavily on imports for raw fuels and were process-based industries, the ripple effect on the region was not that great, and instead brought new pollution and environmental problems to the inland sea coast.In a development plan put forward by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) in 1984, the three regions of Kibi Plateau, Hiroshima Chuo (including Kure), and Ube were listed as planned areas for a so-called technopolis, an advanced technology cluster city aiming to combine new industries such as cutting-edge technology, which have developed rapidly in recent years, with academic research institutions, in an effort to revitalize the region. Meanwhile, the farming and mountain villages of the Chugoku Mountains are known nationwide as areas suffering from serious depopulation, but there are also areas such as Okuizumo Town in Shimane Prefecture where national farmland development is being attempted with the aim of diversified management, and in Tottori Prefecture, in addition to the Tottori Sand Dunes, a pioneering area in sand farming, new horticultural and dairy farming regions are being formed through the development of irrigation water in Hojo Sand Dunes and Yumigahama Sand Dunes.

[Hajime Miura]

population

According to the first census in 1920 (Taisho 9), the population of the five prefectures in the Chugoku region was 4.97 million, which was 8.9% of the national total, and slightly higher than the Chugoku region's national area of 8.5%. After that, the population of the Chugoku region fluctuated greatly due to the development of the four major industrial areas and the concentration of population in large cities after World War II. In the 10 years from 1955 to 1965 (Showa 30-40), the population fell from 6.99 million to 6.87 million, and the rate of decline was particularly high in Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi prefectures during the period of high economic growth. After 1975, the population of each prefecture began to increase, increasing from 7.366 million to 7.774 million in the 20 years from 1975 to 1995, but the rate of increase in the five prefectures during this period was the highest in Hiroshima prefecture at 8.9%, and all of them were lower than the national average of 12.2%. In 2005, the Chugoku region accounted for only 6.0% of the national population, making it a region with a low population compared to the rest of the country. It is particularly noteworthy that the number of depopulated municipalities was 172 out of a total of 308 municipalities (2003, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Local Government Bureau, Depopulation Countermeasures Office, "Current Status of Depopulation Countermeasures," July 2003), and that the region is also large in area, covering the Chugoku Mountains and Kibi Plateau and accounting for 55.5% of the total.

In terms of population distribution, the three Sanyo prefectures account for 82% of the Chugoku region's population, while the two San'in prefectures account for only 18%. Furthermore, cities along the Seto Inland Sea coast, such as Okayama, Kurashiki, Fukuyama, Kure, Hiroshima, Shunan, and Ube, account for more than 56% of the population, suggesting that the population is concentrated along the San'yo coast. The areas with the highest population concentrations include the coastal area of Hiroshima Bay from around Kure to Iwakuni, centered on the Hiroshima Plain, the area from the Okayama Plain to the Kurashiki Plain, Shimonoseki City and its surrounding areas, and the island of Innoshima, all of which are high-density areas with a population density of over 1,000 people. In the San'in region, the Yonago Plain is a high-density area with a population density of over 1,000 people, and a population distribution with a population density of over 500 people can be seen around the prefectural capitals of Tottori and Matsue. Within the Chugoku Mountains and Plateau, relatively large populations are distributed in mountain basins such as Tsuyama, Katsuyama, Niimi, Shobara, and Miyoshi.

[Hajime Miura]

history

Archaeological sites that have unearthed Paleolithic tools from the Pleistocene (Pleistocene) period, when the Japanese archipelago was still connected to the continent and the Seto Inland Sea was land, have been discovered at Miyatayama in Okayama Prefecture, Ijima in Bisan Seto, and Hitoshi Island (Kagawa Prefecture). These stone tools have been noted for being made using a unique method called the Setouchi technique, which uses sanukite as a stone material. Shell mounds from the early Jomon period, when the sea began to invade the Seto Inland Sea, are found at Kishima in Okayama Prefecture, and inland, the Mawari Iwakage site at Taishakukyo in Hiroshima Prefecture is famous. From the early Jomon period onwards, shell mounds were concentrated and distributed along the coast of Lake Nakaumi in Sanin and the coast of Kojima Bay in Sanyo, and by the late and final Jomon periods, archaeological sites have been discovered widely across the country, and although the people mainly lived a life of gathering by hunting and fishing, they also advanced into the lowlands and began farming.

When the Yayoi culture, which was based on rice cultivation, appeared in Kitakyushu from the continent, it rapidly spread and took root in the coastal lowlands and basins throughout western Japan, and by the early Yayoi period, two major cultural spheres had already been established, centered on Kitakyushu and Kinai.The Chugoku region was located in between, and the Seto Inland Sea coast in particular became a corridor connecting the east and west. At that time, the Koujindani and Kamo Iwakura ruins were discovered, where large numbers of bronze artefacts such as bronze spears and bronze bells were excavated, and the Izumo region, with its unique square-cornered tombs, formed a unique cultural area. During the Kofun period from the 4th to 7th centuries, distinctive regional cultural areas were formed in the Izumo region, which had a kofun culture including the unique traditional square tomb form, and the Kibi region, which built many large keyhole-shaped tombs second only to the imperial tombs, but these were later incorporated under the influence of the Yamato court's unified government, which was centred in the Kinai region. Under the Ritsuryo system from the Nara period onwards, the Chugoku region consisted of 12 provinces - Mimasaka, Bizen, Bitchu, Bingo, Aki, Suo, Nagato, Inaba, Hoki, Izumo, Iwami and Oki - and each had its own provincial capital. The Sanyo Road, which linked the provincial capitals of the six provinces along the Sanyo coast, was a major transportation route connecting the center and Dazaifu along with the Seto Inland Sea waterway, and was considered important as the only major route among the seven roads. A distinctive feature of agricultural land development in ancient times was the standardization of farmland divisions under the jori system, and remnants of the square land division system based on one square block are well preserved in small plains such as the Okayama Plain, Fukuyama Plain, Tsuyama Basin, Hofu Plain, and Yamaguchi Basin, and can also be seen in the Tottori Plain, Kurayoshi Plain, and Matsue Plain on the Sanin side. Salt production in ancient times was widespread along the inland sea coast, and the salt production ruins known for Shiraku-style pottery on the Bisan Islands are famous, and similar pottery salt production sites are distributed all the way to the Ube coast of the western Seto Inland Sea. On the other hand, the Chugoku Mountains produced high-quality iron, and the Engishiki lists Hoki, Mimasaka, Bitchu, and Bingo as producing areas of iron and hoes, while Nagato and Suo were known as copper-producing provinces, and both had mints near the provincial capitals. At the end of ancient times, there was a decline of politics based on the Ritsuryo code, the development of manors, and the rise of the samurai. Taking advantage of this disorder in law and order, pirates ran rampant in the Seto Inland Sea. The Taira clan, which was instrumental in suppressing them, built up a powerful force throughout western Japan, mainly along the inland sea coast, and gained control of the central government. However, they were soon destroyed by the Minamoto clan, which had arisen in the eastern provinces, at Dannoura in Nagato, at the western end of the inland sea.

During the Kamakura period, powerful vassals such as Doi, Sasaki, Takeda, and Mori from Kanto entered the Chugoku region as shugo and jito (local governors) and gained influence, and manors for central shrines and temples such as Kamo Shrine in Kyoto, Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine, Todaiji Temple, and Koyasan were developed in various places, and powerful clans and feudal lords of all sizes competed for power in the region. However, after the Jōkyū War and the Mongol invasion, the Chugoku region, along with Kitakyushu, was considered important as a key location for national defense, and defensive walls were built on the coasts of Nagato and Iwami, the Nagato (Chugoku) Tandai was established, and the Hojo clan's control over the shogunate was strengthened.

In 1332 (Genko 2), Emperor Godaigo was exiled to Oki Islands, and during the period of the Northern and Southern Court War, pirates in the inland sea built castles at key points along the shipping routes and collected guard fees, some of whom went overseas and became wako (Japanese pirates). During the Muromachi period, the Ouchi clan, the daimyo of Suo Province, gained economic power by expanding into trade with Ming China, and took control of northern Kyushu and western Chugoku, expanding their influence to the center of Japan. Suo-Yamaguchi, the castle town of Suo, prospered as a medieval city alongside Odawara in the east, and was called the Kyoto of the west.

During the warring times that began with the Onin War (1467-1477), the Amako clan of Izumo and the Ouchi clan of Suo were replaced by the Mori clan of Aki, who unified most of the Chugoku region, but were given two provinces, Suo and Nagato, by the Tokugawa clan and incorporated into the feudal system of the shogunate and feudal domains. The 12 provinces of the Chugoku region were divided into more than 20 large and small domains, and the domains with more than 100,000 koku of rice were Tottori, Matsue, Tsuyama, Okayama, Fukuyama, Hiroshima, and Choshu. Each domain made an effort to develop new fields and improve their finances, and the inland sea coast in particular was supported by favorable land conditions, and the lowlands at the mouths of rivers such as Kojima Bay, Takahashi River, Ota River, Nishiki River (Iwakuni River), and Saba River were reclaimed and developed into vast rice paddies and salt fields. In addition to rice and wheat, the new fields were used to cultivate industrial crops such as cotton, rushes, rapeseed, and sugarcane, and cotton textiles from the Kojima region and tatami mats from the Bingo region were known as specialties. Salt production was also known as the "Ten Setouchi Salt Fields," including those along the Shikoku coast, and accounted for 90% of the nation's total production. This industrial development, combined with the development of the Nishimawari shipping route and the revolutionary era of shipping along the Seto Inland Sea, made the Sanyo region in particular a pioneer in rural industry and commodity distribution.

At the end of the Edo period, the Choshu clan played a leading role in the period of change brought about by the Meiji Restoration, and sent many talented people to the new Meiji government. After the abolition of the feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures in 1871 (Meiji 4), the former feudal domain territories were repeatedly divided and merged, and in 1881 the current prefectural boundaries were established.

With the modernization of industry after the Meiji period, spinning mills were established in Tamashima, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kurashiki along the Sanyo coast as early as the 1870s, playing pioneering roles in the subsequent industrialization, while the silk-reeling industry did not emerge until the 1880s along the Sanin coast in Matsue and Kurayoshi. In terms of transportation, the Sanyo Line was extended to Kasaoka in 1891, and was fully extended to Shimonoseki in 1901 (Meiji 34), but the Sanin Line was extended to Matsue in 1908, and to Masuda in 1923 (Taisho 12), the same year as the Yamaguchi Line, and was fully extended to Shimonoseki in 1931 (Showa 6). During this period, the Sanyo coast saw the establishment of the Kure Naval District and the development of the shipbuilding industry, the development of the Ube undersea coalfields, and the growth of the chemical industry. In agriculture, there was a remarkable development in mechanized farming and fruit cultivation throughout the Okayama Plain. Meanwhile, in Tottori on the Sanin coast, improvements were made to the cultivation of the 20th century pear, and it became a specialty production area.

[Hajime Miura]

Folklore

As it appears in Japanese mythology, Izumo is a distinctive region in the Chugoku region. It has a different language (dialect), occupations, customs, annual events, and folk arts from the Sanyo coast, which had close ties with the central government. The dialect unique to Izumo, including the Hoki region, contrasts with the Sanyo prefectures, and is said to retain elements of the oldest Japanese language common to northeastern Japan.

The Tsuijima pines that surround the scattered farmhouses in the Izumo Plain are neatly trimmed and function as windbreaks along the west and north sides of the houses. The ridges of the thatched houses are also uniquely curved at steep angles on both ends, creating a stately Izumo landscape. In recent years, the Tsuijima pines have become less common as people's lives have changed. In the sea villages of the Shimane Peninsula and Oki, bamboo fences higher than the eaves of the main house have been installed in place of the Tsuijima pines. In Izumo, most of the roof tiles on the houses are traditional black tiles, while in Iwami, they are red tiles (Iwami tiles) that are resistant to snow, and are found from the Chugoku Mountains to the inland area of western Yamaguchi Prefecture. The roofs of houses in the Chugoku region are generally hipped, but in the Kurayoshi Plain in Sanin and east of the Fukuyama Plain in Sanyo, the hipped roof type is more common. This signifies the westward shift of Kinai-style houses and is thought to mark the boundary of the ancient folk cultural sphere.

Since ancient times, many traditional ancient customs have been seen along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, where cultural artifacts from the mainland, Kitakyushu, and Kinai often travelled. In particular, the "Ebune" that retains the customs of the ancient sea people, has disappeared now, but until recently, families have settled fishing boats, drifting across the Inland Sea, their wives went out to sell their catch, and in the past they also took place in the Kaekoto (barter). Their villages were Noji and Yoshiwa in Mihara Seto, Hiroshima Prefecture, and since the Edo period, they became established everywhere, and 100 egamura villages were formed along the coast. Some of the islands of the Utsumi, which had been overpopulated from early on, have been working as whale gangsters to the Goto Arikawa area in Kyushu, such as Tajima in Hiroshima Prefecture, Yashima and Iwaishima in Yamaguchi Prefecture, as Kujiragumikako, bringing back rice, and as Shiraida in Nagashima in Yamaguchi Prefecture, as Shiraida in Shiota Hamako and the Yodo River.

The mansion gods enshrined in a corner of the mansion are also called the landowner gods or the kojin gods, but these are widely distributed in Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi prefectures, and are usually found in the main residences, and are said to convey the old beliefs that worship the kin gods. In Yamaguchi prefecture, there are many cases where Arajin was enshrined when land was cleared.

The two tomb system, which is made in double graves, buried graves, and tombs, is a distinctive Japanese tomb system that is highly distributed in Kinki and Kanto, but it is not found in Kyushu, and the Chugoku region is in an intermediate region, but Tottori Prefecture, the eastern edge of Shimane Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture are included in these tomb systems. In recent years, examples have also become known in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures, and it is discovered that this custom existed on Mitsuo, Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Heigun Island, Yanai City, and Yanai City, are attracting attention as the westernmost tip of the distribution of both tomb systems.

During the rice planting season, events such as "hayashida", "ota planting" and "hana rice planting" that worship the rice planting god, "sambai", "ota planting" and "hana rice planting" remained widely in rural and mountain villages in the Chugoku Mountains from the Hino district in Shimane Prefecture to the west to the Abu district in Yamaguchi Prefecture, but these have been decreasing in recent years. Flower rice planting (national designated important intangible folk cultural property) in Kitahiroshima Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, which conveys these precious folklore, and Kurosawa rice paddies in Misumi district in Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture are known as magnificent events by decorative cows and Saotome.

Many of the Bon Odori events are slower to match the accompaniment of drums and flutes and the Kudoki squeals, and the Yassa Dance in Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, are characterized by its enthusiastic tempo, similar to the Awa dance. On the other hand, the October lunar calendar is called Kannazuki, but Izumo is the Kamiarizuki, and an omotenashi festival is held at Izumo Taisha Shrine. However, it was originally passed down in the past to seven shrines, including Kamosu Shrine, Asakumishimo Shrine, and Sada Shrine, and is attracting attention as a festival typical of Izumo.

[Hajime Miura]

Folktales

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. There you can see people starting to talk about their hard work life.

になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. This funny story takes over this region, and its sphere of influence and distribution of legend is almost in line with the Chugoku region. In addition to the culture of laughter, there are also many foolish stories. A series of foolish village stories are known, including the Opara Saemon in Hiroshima, the Sajidani in Tottori, the Matano (mata) story of Hoshiyama in Okayama, the bathtub story, the Mokuroji in Yamaguchi, and the Yamashiro story.

[Junichi Nomura]

になったんです。 English : The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. "Article 16-17 of the Chugoku Region" edited by the Japanese Geography Institute (Ninomiya Shoten, 1981)" ▽ "Article 1999: New Japan Geography Seminar 6 of Chugoku and Shikoku Region" edited by the Daimeido Editorial Department (Daimeido)"

Chugoku/Shikoku Region Topography
©Shogakukan Illustration/Shogakukan Creative ">

Chugoku/Shikoku Region Topography

Chugoku Regional Location Map
©Shogakukan Illustration/Shogakukan Creative ">

Chugoku Regional Location Map

Mount Hyonose
View from Wakasa Town in the west. Hinoyama Goyama Nagiyama National Park area. Wakasa Town, Yagusu District, Tottori Prefecture / Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture © Tottori Prefecture ">

Mount Hyonose

Mt. Oyama
The view from Hoki Town on the western foot of the mountain. Daisen-Oki National Park. Tottori Prefecture: Daisen Town, Hoki Town, Kofu Town, Hino District, Kotoura Town, Tohaku District ©Tottori Prefecture ">

Mt. Oyama

Mount Sanbe
View from the west. On the left is Oyasamibe, and on the right is Kosamibe. In the foreground is Ukifu Pond. Daisen-Oki National Park. Oda City, Shimane Prefecture and Iinan Town, Iishi District ©Ministry of the Environment ">

Mount Sanbe

Akiyoshidai
Karenfeld. Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park. Nationally designated special natural monument. Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. ©Fam. Kanagawa .

Akiyoshidai

Akiyoshido "100 Plates"
Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park Area. Nationally designated special natural monument. Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. ©Yamaguchi Prefecture Tourism Federation .

Akiyoshido "100 Plates"

Lake Shinji
Evening view from the east coast. Yomegashima Island is in the center. Shimane Prefecture, Matsue City, Izumo City, Hikawa District, Hikawa Town © Shimane Tourism Federation

Lake Shinji

Tottori Sand Dunes
Photographed by Fukube Sand Dunes. Sanin Coast National Park area. Nationally designated natural monument Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture © Tottori Prefecture ">

Tottori Sand Dunes

Kanmon Bridge
This is a bridge for automobiles that connects Shimonoseki City (in the back of the photo) and Moji in Kitakyushu City. It opened in 1973 (Showa 48). It is 1,068m long (712m central span) and 61m above sea level. The area around the bridge pier on the opposite bank is the site of the destruction of the Heike clan, known as Dannoura. Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture ©Shogakukan ">

Kanmon Bridge

Innoshima Ohashi Bridge
Connects Mukojima (back side of the photo) and Innoshima. Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture © Hiroshima Prefecture ">

Innoshima Ohashi Bridge

Tatara Bridge
A view from the vicinity of Cape Tatara on Omishima Island. In the background is Mount Kannon on Ikuchijima Island. Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture / Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture © Hiroshima Prefecture ">

Tatara Bridge

Bisan Seto and the Great Seto Bridge
A view from Mt. Washu, Shimotsui, Kurashiki City, at the southern tip of the Kojima Peninsula. The Great Seto Bridge (Kojima-Sakaide Route of the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge) spans the area. Setonaikai National Park. Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture / Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture ©Ministry of the Environment ">

Bisan Seto and the Great Seto Bridge

Tatara Ironworks
Okuizumo-cho, Nita-gun, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Tatara Ironworks

Arajindani Ruins
Nationally designated historic site Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Arajindani Ruins

Kamo Iwakura Ruins
Nationally designated historic site Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture © Shimane Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Kamo Iwakura Ruins

Inaba National Government Office site
Southern Mon Geki. Nationally designated historic site Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture © Tottori Prefecture ">

Inaba National Government Office site

Flower mat
©Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Flower mat

Bizen ware
©Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation, Public Interest Incorporated Association ">

Bizen ware

Hagi ware
© Hagi City Tourism Association ">

Hagi ware

Flower planting in Mibu
Nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property Kitahiroshima-cho, Yamagata-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture © Hiroshima Prefecture ">

Flower planting in Mibu

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

本州の西端部を占める地方で、近畿地方の北西部から西方に突出し、東西約350キロメートル、南北約45～140キロメートルの半島状の地形を呈し、北側は日本海を隔ててアジア大陸東辺の朝鮮半島や沿海地方に相対し、南側は瀬戸内海を挟んで四国地方を望み、南西端は狭い関門(かんもん)海峡をもって北九州に近接している。日本海側は比較的単調な海岸線であるが、島根半島の北方約40キロメートルには日本海の離島隠岐(おき)諸島がある。瀬戸内海側は島や小半島の多い複雑な海岸線となり、周防(すおう)大島や倉橋(くらはし)島、因島(いんのしま)など大小多数の島嶼(とうしょ)が分布している。行政上は、鳥取、島根、岡山、広島、山口の5県からなり、面積は3万1909平方キロメートル（1996）で、全国土の8.5％を占めている。「中国」地方という呼び名は、古代、畿内(きない)を中心に近国、中国、遠国に区別したとき、九州地方の遠国に対して、この地方のほとんどが中国に相当することから、そうよばれるようになったといわれるが、その起源はかならずしもはっきりしてはいない。

　中国地方は、古代から大陸文化受容の先進地であった北九州と、大和(やまと)朝廷の中心地域であった畿内との中間地帯を占め、文化、政治、経済の回廊地帯としての地域性をもっていた。とくに瀬戸内海とその沿岸の山陽地方は、東西に延びる海陸の交通幹線路として重要な役割を果たしてきた。現在でも、とくに石油化学や鉄鋼の高能率の大工場が内海沿岸各地に展開し、瀬戸内工業地域を形成、太平洋ベルト地帯の一部を占めている。

　地方区分では中国・四国地方として扱われることが多い。これは、地質構造のうえから、また気候環境のうえからも、中国地方の山陽沿岸、瀬戸内海、北四国のいわゆる瀬戸内地域が共通した歴史的背景や産業経済をもっているからである。中国地方の地域区分としては農業、水産業中心の山陰沿岸、牧畜、林業の盛んな中国山地、先進的農業や重化学工業化の顕著な山陽沿岸のそれぞれ特色ある地域に分けられる。

［三浦　肇］

自然

中国地方は大部分が山地や丘陵で、その間にいくつかの盆地が並び、海岸部はおおむね沈水海岸をなす所が多く、平野は小規模である。

　中国地方を山陽と山陰に分ける脊梁(せきりょう)山地が北寄りに高度800～1300メートルで東西に連なるが、なだらかな高原状の地形をなし、高位侵食平坦(へいたん)面の遺物と考えられている。代表的な山として、氷ノ山(ひょうのせん)（1510メートル）、那岐山(なぎさん)（1240メートル）、道後山(どうごやま)（1271メートル）、恐羅漢山(おそらかんざん)（1346メートル）、冠山(かんむりやま)（1339メートル）などが高く、いずれも国定公園に含まれている。脊梁山地の南側には高度500メートル前後の広大な吉備高原(きびこうげん)が広がり、広島、岡山両県の大半を占め、その中に津山(つやま)、勝山(かつやま)、西条(さいじょう)、三次(みよし)、山口などの盆地が発達している。吉備高原は西日本ではまれな隆起準平原として知られ、中位侵食平坦面とみなされている。島根県西半部にも同じ性質の石見高原(いわみこうげん)があり、山口県も大半はこれらの高原の連続する地形にあたるが、侵食が進んで小山塊に分かれている。吉備高原の南側には海岸近くまで、高度100～200メートルの丘陵地が分散的に発達し、とくに山口県宇部(うべ)北方付近に広く典型的にみられ、福山平野周辺や岡山平野周辺の丘陵地も同じ性質の地形である。これらは瀬戸内面とよばれ、低位侵食平坦面と考えられている。

　中国脊梁山地の北側には白山(はくさん)火山系に属する鳥取県の大山(だいせん)（1729メートル）、島根県の三瓶山(さんべさん)（1126メートル）、青野山(あおのやま)（907メートル）などの火山群が噴出し、山陰沿岸には三朝(みささ)、皆生(かいけ)、玉造(たまつくり)、三瓶、温泉津(ゆのつ)など多くの温泉が分布している。また、石灰岩が各地に分布し、岡山県の阿哲台(あてつだい)、広島県の帝釈台(たいしゃくだい)、山口県の秋吉台(あきよしだい)などでは溶食作用による特殊な窪地(くぼち)（ドリーネ、ウバーレ）の地形が発達し、台地下には多数の洞穴が形成され、とくに秋吉台の秋芳洞(あきよしどう／しゅうほうどう)は特別天然記念物に指定されている日本屈指の大鍾乳洞(しょうにゅうどう)として知られる。

　中国地方の河川は一般に短い。もっとも長い江の川(ごうのかわ)は延長194キロメートルでその流域面積は3870平方キロメートル、三次盆地を貫流し、中国山地を横断して日本海に入る。短い川の多い中国地方では平野も小規模で、岡山平野と出雲(いずも)平野がやや大きい平野である。岡山平野は、吉井川や旭(あさひ)川、高梁(たかはし)川のつくった三角州平野に近世以降の干拓地も加わった中国地方最大の平野で、先進的な機械化農業や園芸農業で有名である。山陰側の出雲平野は、島根半島の内側の陥没地帯が斐伊(ひい)川の盛んな堆積(たいせき)作用によって埋められてできた三角州平野で、埋め残された宍道湖(しんじこ)は面積79.1平方キロメートル（日本第7位）、最深部6メートルの浅い湖で、その東につづく中海(なかうみ)は弓ヶ浜砂州で陸封された湖で、面積86.2平方キロメートル（日本第5位）、ともに汽水(きすい)湖である。

　海岸線は山陰側が比較的単調であるのに対して、瀬戸内側は出入りが多く、小半島や島、瀬戸（海峡）が交錯して複雑である。これは、完新世（沖積世）初めごろから海面が上昇して低地に海水が浸入し瀬戸内海を形成したためである。山陰側の海岸は日本海に臨んで季節風が強く、鳥取砂丘や弓ヶ浜のように砂丘の発達がみられることが特徴である。

　気候は中国山地を境に、曇天の多い山陰型と、降水量の少ない山陽（瀬戸内）型に分かれるが、年平均気温（1971～2000平均値）は鳥取14.6℃、岡山15.8℃で、日本海の対馬(つしま)暖流の影響もあって、山陰、山陽であまり差はない。年降水量は鳥取1897.7ミリメートルに対して岡山1141ミリメートルで、山陽側は日本でも少雨地域として知られる瀬戸内型に属し、中国山地と四国山地が季節風を遮って、山陽沿岸は温暖少雨の特色を示す。しかし、西瀬戸内沿岸ではやや降水量も多く、広島1540.6ミリメートル、下関(しものせき)1684.9ミリメートルで、山口県は台風の来襲頻度も高く、九州型に近い。

　中国地方の植生帯は大部分が暖温帯広葉樹林帯に属し、中国山地のうち高山の一部に冷温帯落葉樹林帯がみられる。西日本の自然植生は平地のタブ林、丘陵のシイ林、山地のカシ林で代表されるが、縄文時代以降の人間活動によって著しく改変を受け、中国地方はとくに他地方に比べて自然林の破壊が進んでいて、沿岸地帯ではクロマツ林、内陸に入るとかなりの高度まで、ほとんどアカマツ林を主とする二次林によって置き換えられている所が多い。また自然植生で注目されるのは、太平洋沿岸に広くみられるウバメガシを主とした特殊な広葉常緑樹林で、乾燥に強く、降水量の少ない瀬戸内沿岸や島嶼(とうしょ)にとくによく発達していることである。

　冷温帯林を代表するブナ林は山口県では高度700メートル付近から出現するが、山陰側では冬の季節風や積雪の影響で、高度500～600メートルからみられ、林床にチシマザサを伴う日本海型である点が、四国山地のブナ林と異なっている。比婆(ひば)山のブナの純林は国の天然記念物として有名である。中国山地では1300メートルを超える山はわずかで、四国山地のような亜高山帯の針葉樹林（たとえばシコクシラベ林）がみられないことが注目される。

［三浦　肇］

産業

産業別就業人口比率（1995）は、第一次産業が8.3％で全国平均の5.9％よりやや高く、とくに山陰側の島根県と鳥取県が全国8位、7位の高率であり、岡山県、山口県は全国平均よりやや高く、広島県はほぼ全国並みである。これに対し中国地方の第二次産業は32.1％を占め、全国平均の31.5％に近い。とくに山口県と広島県が全国並みで、岡山県が全国平均よりやや高い。第三次産業は59.1％で、広島県はほぼ全国並みであるが、他の4県は全国平均61.8％を下回っている。

　農業は早くから開発が進み、よく耕地化されてきたが、近年は減少が著しい。農家1戸当り耕地面積（1994）は0.7ヘクタールで、全国平均の1.4ヘクタールよりはるかに狭く、農家数は全国の10.9％を占めるのに、耕地面積は5.8％、農業粗生産額（1994）も5.6％を占めるにすぎない。水稲収穫量（1994）は中国5県で全国の7.6％を占める。1994年の反当り収量は全国平均（544キログラム）に比べてやや低く、鳥取県（569キログラム）のみが高かった。5県のうち収穫量では岡山県が多く、中国地方の28％を占める。果樹栽培（1995）では各県によってそれぞれ特色があり、岡山県はブドウが全国4位、モモが6位で全国的に知られた果物県で、広島県は柑橘(かんきつ)類が多く、ミカンが8位、ネーブルオレンジが2位、山口県はナツミカンが10位、イヨカンが4位である。鳥取県は全国のナシの14％を占めて1位の生産をあげ、また砂丘を利用した砂地農業の先進地で、ラッキョウ、ナガイモ、ネギ、スイカの特産で知られる。畜産は中国山地や吉備高原で盛んで、島根、岡山両県が飼養頭数が多い。蒜山(ひるぜん)高原の酪農、広島県北部の神石(じんせき)牛、比婆(ひば)牛、大山(だいせん)周辺の伯耆(ほうき)牛などの肉用牛が知られ、山間盆地の津山や三次(みよし)は牛市でにぎわう。

　林業は、用材の生産で全国の7.6％を占め、私有林が多く、かつて木炭生産で重要な地位を占めていたが、現在は衰えた。鳥取県智頭(ちず)付近のスギの美林（学術参考保護林）や山口県滑(なめら)国有林のアカマツ林が有名である。

　暖流や寒流の流れる日本海と、波静かな瀬戸内海を控えて、水産業は盛ん。沿岸に多くの漁港が発達し、漁獲量（1994）は全国の約12.8％に及び、島根県は全国4位、鳥取県は8位である。境(さかい)、恵曇(えとも)、浜田、仙崎(せんざき)、下関などが主要漁港である。日本海では島根半島と隠岐諸島の間の隠岐堆(おきたい)やその北方の大和堆(やまとたい)が好漁場をなし、巻網(まきあみ)によるアジ、サバ、イワシ、底引網によるマツバガニ、カレイが多く水揚げされる。瀬戸内海は複雑な海況によって漁法も多様で、魚種も多いが、沿岸埋立地の工業化や都市化の影響で漁獲量は減少し、零細漁家が多い。ハマチやクルマエビなどの養殖、栽培漁業への転換が図られつつある。なお、広島湾のカキ養殖はすでに江戸時代に始まり、特産として全国に知られている。

　工業では、早くから山地におけるたたら製鉄、明治以降の製塩業とソーダ工業、石灰石の開発とセメント工業、ろう石の採掘と耐火れんが工業、ワタ作と綿紡績工業などのように、地元の原料や資源を利用した工業が各地に発達した。現在では中国5県の工業出荷額（1995）は全国の7.0％を占め、岡山、広島、山口の3県全域を瀬戸内工業地域とした場合は6.3％に及び、全国的にも京浜、阪神、中京、北関東に次ぐ重要な地位を占めている。これは、重化学工業とくに鉄鋼業や石油化学工業を中心に、機械、化学、金属工業など、日本の経済高度成長期に大工場が集中的に進出、拡充されたことによる。倉敷市水島(みずしま)の石油化学、製鉄、自動車をはじめ、呉(くれ)市の造船、福山市の製鉄、広島市の自動車、岩国市、大竹市の石油化学、周南(しゅうなん)市のソーダや石油化学、宇部市の化学肥料などが主要な近代工業である。また、倉敷市の花莚(はなむしろ)、福山市松永の下駄(げた)、府中市のたんす、備前(びぜん)市の備前焼や萩(はぎ)市の萩焼などの伝統工業も全国的に知られている。一方山陰側でも、米子(よなご)市、境港(さかいみなと)市を中心にパルプ、鉄鋼、水産加工が発達し、江津(ごうつ)市などでは石見瓦(いわみがわら)の生産が盛んである。

［三浦　肇］

交通

山陽沿岸を走るJR山陽本線、東海道・山陽新幹線と、これに並走する国道2号、内陸部を縦貫する中国自動車道と山陽沿岸を貫ぬく山陽自動車道が中国地方のみならず、国土全体の交通動脈の一部をなす陸上幹線交通路である。これらはすべて中国地方西端の下関市に集まり、関門海峡をはさんだ北九州と関門鉄道トンネル、新関門トンネル、関門国道トンネル、関門橋によって密接に結ばれている。山陰沿岸は山陰本線とこれに並走して国道9号と191号（益田(ますだ)以西）があり、中国山地を横断して、これら東西方向の交通路を南北に結び付けるJR因美(いんび)線、津山線、伯備(はくび)線、木次(きすき)線、芸備(げいび)線、山口線などや国道53号、54号、187号など多くの陰陽連絡路線があり、高速自動車道も中国横断自動車道（広島浜田線、尾道松江線、岡山米子線、姫路鳥取線）の整備が進みつつある。また鳥取、隠岐(おき)、米子(よなご)、出雲(いずも)、岡山、広島、山口宇部、萩・石見の諸空港があって、東京や大阪などと連絡している。

　産業運河ともいうべき瀬戸内海の海上交通は、とくに北九州と阪神を結ぶ東西方向の航路が早くから発達しているが、沿岸の水島、福山、尾道(おのみち)、広島、岩国、徳山、下関などの諸港での貨物取扱い量が多い。また山陽沿岸都市と島嶼(とうしょ)を結ぶ沿岸航路のほか、広島―松山、柳井(やない)―松山間のように中国・四国連絡航路も発達している。新しい交通革命に対応して、本州四国連絡橋が計画され、尾道―今治ルートでは大三島(おおみしま)橋（1979）、因島(いんのしま)大橋（1983）などに続き、1999年（平成11）5月多々羅(たたら)大橋（生口(いくち)島―大三(おおみ)島）、来(くる)島海峡大橋（大島―今治）が開通した。これで約60キロメートルの今治―尾道ルート（瀬戸内しまなみ海道）は全面開通となった。児島(こじま)―坂出(さかいで)ルートの瀬戸大橋も1988年（昭和63）に開通しており、新内海交通時代が開かれようとしている。

［三浦　肇］

開発

1950年（昭和25）の国土総合開発法のもとで、特定地域として大山出雲(だいせんいずも)、芸北(げいほく)、錦川(にしきがわ)の3地域が指定され、大山の香取(かとり)などでは開拓団によって酪農村が生まれ、芸北では樽床(たるとこ)ダム、錦川では菅野(すがの)ダムなどが建設され、電力や工業・都市用水の利用開発が進められた。1963年の全国総合開発計画では地域格差是正を目的として、地方都市を開発の拠点とする岡山県南、中海(なかうみ)の2新産業都市と、すでにある程度の発展基盤を備えている備後(びんご)、周南(しゅうなん)の2工業整備特別地域が指定された。いずれの地域でも干拓、埋立てが行われ、鉄鋼、石油化学を中心として、機械、金属、化学の重化学部門の産業が大きく伸びたが、原燃料を多く輸入に依存する臨海型の重化学工業に偏り、装置型産業であったため、地域への波及効果はそれほど大きくなく、むしろ内海沿岸には新しい公害や環境問題をもたらした。1984年の通産省（現、経済産業省）による開発構想では、近年急速な発達をみた先端技術などの新産業と、学術研究機関の融合を目ざす高度技術集積都市いわゆるテクノポリスの計画地域として、吉備(きび)高原と広島中央（呉(くれ)を含む）、宇部の3地域があげられ、地方の活性化を図ろうとしている。一方、中国山地の農山村は全国的にも深刻な過疎化地域として知られるが、島根県奥出雲町のように、複合経営を目ざす国営の農地開発を試みる地区もあり、鳥取県では砂地農業の先進地鳥取砂丘のほかに、北条砂丘や弓ヶ浜砂丘などでは用水の開発によって新しい園芸酪農地域が形成されつつある。

［三浦　肇］

人口

1920年（大正9）の第1回国勢調査による中国地方5県の人口は497万人、その全国比は8.9％であるから、中国地方の面積の全国比8.5％に比べるとわずかながらこれを上回っていた。その後、四大工業地帯の発達、第二次世界大戦後の巨大都市への人口集中の影響で、中国地方の人口も大きく変動した。1955～1965年（昭和30～40）の10年間に699万人から687万人に減少し、高度経済成長期にはとくに鳥取、島根、山口3県の減少率が高かった。1975年以降は各県とも増加に転じ、1975～1995年の20年間に736万6000人から777万4000人に増加したが、この時期の5県の増加率は広島県の8.9％が最高で、全国平均12.2％に比べればいずれも低い。2005年（平成17）の中国地方の人口の全国比は6.0％を占めるにすぎず、全国的にみて人口の少ない地方といえるであろう。とくに過疎地域市町村数が全市町村数308のうち172に及び（2003、総務省自治行政局過疎対策室「過疎対策の現況」平成15年7月）、面積においても広く、中国山地、吉備高原にわたって55.5％を占めていることは注目される。

　人口分布のうえからみると、山陽3県の人口が中国地方の82％を占め、山陰2県の人口はわずか18％でしかない。さらに岡山、倉敷、福山、呉、広島、周南、宇部など瀬戸内海沿岸部の都市群の占める人口は56％以上に及び、山陽沿岸に人口が集中していることがうかがえる。人口集積のもっとも多い地域をあげると、呉付近から広島平野を中心に岩国に至る広島湾岸一帯、岡山平野から倉敷平野にかけての地域、下関市とその周辺、島嶼部の因島などが、人口密度1000人を超える高密度地域をなしている。山陰地方では米子平野が1000人以上の高密度地域であり、鳥取市や松江市の県庁都市の周辺では人口密度500人以上の人口分布がみられる。中国山地や高原内では津山、勝山、新見(にいみ)、庄原(しょうばら)、三次(みよし)などの山間盆地にややまとまった人口が分布している。

［三浦　肇］

歴史

日本列島がまだ大陸と陸続きで、瀬戸内海が陸地であった更新世（洪積世）の時代の旧石器を出土する遺跡が、岡山県宮田山や備讃(びさん)瀬戸の井島、櫃石(ひついし)島（香川県）などで発見されている。この石器はサヌカイトを石材とする瀬戸内技法とよばれる特色ある作製法によるものとして注目されている。瀬戸内に海が浸入し始めた縄文早期の貝塚としては岡山県黄島(きしま)があり、内陸では広島県帝釈峡馬渡岩陰(まわたりいわかげ)遺跡が有名である。縄文前期以降になると、山陰の中海沿岸や山陽の児島(こじま)湾岸に貝塚が集中して分布し、縄文後期、晩期になると、各地に広範に遺跡が発見されており、狩猟や漁労の採集生活を主とするが、低地にも進出し、農耕も始まっている。

　大陸から稲作を主とする弥生(やよい)文化が北九州に登場すると、西日本一帯の沿岸低地、盆地にも急速に伝播(でんぱ)、定着して、弥生前期には早くも北九州と畿内(きない)を中心とする二大文化圏が成立し、中国地方はその中間にあってとくに瀬戸内沿岸は東西を結ぶ回廊地帯となった。このころには銅矛・銅鐸(どうたく)など大量の青銅器群を出土した荒神谷(こうじんだに)遺跡や加茂岩倉遺跡があり、特異な四隅突出墓(よすみとっしゅつぼ)の分布する出雲地方が異色の文化圏をつくっていたし、4世紀から7世紀にかけての古墳時代には、異色ある伝統的方墳形態を含む古墳文化をもつ出雲地方や、天皇陵に次ぐ大規模な前方後円墳をいくつも築造した吉備地方には特色ある地域的な文化圏が形成されていたが、のちには畿内を中心とする大和朝廷の統一政権の勢力下に組み入れられてしまった。奈良時代以降律令(りつりょう)制下においては中国地方は美作(みまさか)、備前(びぜん)、備中(びっちゅう)、備後(びんご)、安芸(あき)、周防(すおう)、長門(ながと)、因幡(いなば)、伯耆(ほうき)、出雲、石見(いわみ)、隠岐(おき)の12か国からなり、それぞれ国府が置かれた。とくに山陽沿岸の6か国の国府を連ねる山陽道は、瀬戸内海水路とともに中央と大宰府(だざいふ)を結ぶ国土の交通幹線であり、七道中唯一の大路として重要視された。古代における農地開発の特徴は条里制による耕地区画の斉一化で、方一町を基本とする方格地割の遺構は岡山平野をはじめ福山平野、津山盆地、防府(ほうふ)平野、山口盆地などの小平野にもよく残されており、山陰側では鳥取平野、倉吉平野、松江平野などにもみられる。古代における製塩は内海沿岸で広く行われ、備讃(びさん)諸島の師楽(しらく)式土器で知られる製塩遺跡は有名で、同じような土器製塩跡は西瀬戸内の宇部沿岸まで分布している。一方中国山地には良鉄を産し、『延喜式(えんぎしき)』には伯耆、美作、備中、備後が鉄、鍬(くわ)の産地としてあげられており、長門、周防は産銅国として知られ、ともに国府の近くに鋳銭司が置かれた。古代末、律令(りつりょう)政治の衰退と荘園(しょうえん)の発達、武士の台頭などがあり、治安の乱れに乗じて瀬戸内海は海賊が横行し、その討伐に功のあった平氏が内海沿岸を中心に西日本一帯に強大な勢力を培い、中央政権を掌握するが、まもなく東国に興った源氏によって、内海西端の長門壇ノ浦に滅亡した。

　鎌倉時代になると、関東から中国地方に、土肥(どい)、佐々木、武田、毛利など有力御家人(ごけにん)が守護や地頭(じとう)として入部して勢力を得、また京都加茂(かも)社、石清水八幡宮(いわしみずはちまんぐう)、東大寺、高野山(こうやさん)など中央社寺の荘園も各地に開発されて、大小の豪族、領主が割拠したが、承久(じょうきゅう)の乱、蒙古(もうこ)襲来を機に、北九州とともに中国地方は国防上の要地として重視され、長門や石見の海岸には防塁が築かれ、長門（中国）探題が置かれて、北条氏一門による幕府の統制が強化された。

　1332年（元弘2）後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇が隠岐配流となり、南北朝争乱の時代には内海の海賊は、航路上の要所に築城して警固料を取り立て、その一部は海外に出て倭寇(わこう)となった。室町時代に日明(にちみん)貿易に進出して経済力を蓄えた周防守護大名大内氏は北九州、西中国を制して、中央にもその勢力を伸ばし、その城下周防山口は東の小田原と並んで中世都市としての繁栄をみ、西の京都とよばれた。

　応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～1477）に始まる戦乱の時代には、出雲の尼子(あまこ)氏、周防の大内氏にかわって安芸の毛利氏がほぼ中国地方を統一したが、徳川氏によって周防、長門2国に封じられ、幕藩封建体制下に組み込まれた。中国地方の12か国は20以上もの大小の藩によって分知されたが、10万石以上の藩は鳥取藩、松江藩、津山藩、岡山藩、福山藩、広島藩、長州藩の各藩があった。各藩とも新田開発に努めて藩財政の拡充を図ったが、とくに内海沿岸は好適な土地条件に支えられて、児島湾沿岸、高梁(たかはし)川、太田川、錦川（岩国川）、佐波(さば)川などの河口低地が干拓されて広大な水田や塩田に造成された。新田では米麦作のほかにワタ、イグサ、ナタネ、サトウキビなど工芸作物も栽培され、児島地方の綿織物や備後地方の畳表(たたみおもて)は特産として知られた。また製塩では四国沿岸のものも含めて瀬戸内十州塩田とよばれ、全国の90％を占める生産をあげた。このような産業開発は、西廻(にしまわり)航路の発達によって画期的な瀬戸内海水運時代を迎えたことと相まって、とくに山陽地方は農村工業や商品流通の先進地をなしたのである。

　幕末、維新の変革期に長州藩は主導的な役割を果たし、明治新政府に多くの人材を送り込んだ。1871年（明治4）の廃藩置県後、旧藩域の分合を繰り返し、1881年に現行の県域区画が成立した。

　明治以降の産業の近代化に伴い、山陽沿岸では早くも明治10年代に玉島、岡山、広島、倉敷に紡績所が設置され、その後の工業化の先駆的役割を果たしたのに対して、山陰沿岸では明治20年代になってから松江や倉吉に製糸業がおこった。交通上も山陽線が1891年笠岡(かさおか)まで通じ、1901年（明治34）には下関まで全通したが、山陰線は松江までが1908年、益田(ますだ)まで開通したのは山口線開通と同年の1923年（大正12）、下関まで全通したのは1931年（昭和6）であった。この間に、山陽沿岸では呉(くれ)鎮守府の設置による造船業、宇部海底炭田の開発と化学工業の発達をみ、農業面でも岡山平野一帯の機械化農業と果樹栽培の著しい展開がみられ、一方山陰沿岸の鳥取でも二十世紀ナシの栽培に改良が加えられ特産地を形成してきた。

［三浦　肇］

民俗

日本神話のなかにも登場するように、中国地方のなかでは、「出雲」は特色ある地方である。中央との交流の深かった山陽沿岸とは異なった言語（方言）、生業風俗、年中行事、民俗芸能などがみられる。伯耆(ほうき)地方も含めて出雲地方特有の方言は山陽諸県とは対照的で、むしろ東北日本に共通するもっとも古い日本語の要素を残しているといわれている。

　出雲平野に散居する農家に巡らされた築地松(ついじまつ)はきちんと刈り込まれ、屋敷の西側と北側に並んで防風林の機能をもっている。茅葺(かやぶ)きの民家の大棟も両端が急角度に反り上がった特有の反り棟となり、出雲らしい風格ある景観である。近年は生活の変化に伴い、築地松の景観も減少してきた。島根半島や隠岐の海村では築地松にかわって母屋(おもや)の軒より高い竹垣を設けているものが見られる。民家の瓦(かわら)は出雲がほとんど旧来の黒瓦であるのに対して、石見(いわみ)に入ると雪に強い赤瓦（石見瓦）となり、中国山地から山口県西部内陸まで分布している。中国地方の民家の屋根型は一般に寄棟(よせむね)であるが、山陰では倉吉平野、山陽では福山平野以東では入母屋(いりもや)型が多くなる。これは畿内(きない)型民家の西漸を意味し、古民俗文化圏の境界を示すものと思われる。

　古代から頻繁に大陸や北九州、畿内の文物の往来した瀬戸内海の沿岸には伝統的な古俗を伝えるものが多くみられた。とくに古代海人(あま)族の習俗を残す「家船(えぶね)」は現在では姿を消したが、近年まで家族が漁船をすみかとし、内海各地を漂泊しながら漁労し、妻女が漁獲物を売りに出かけ、かつてはカエコト（物々交換）も行われていた。その親村は広島県三原瀬戸の能地(のうじ)や吉和(よしわ)で、江戸時代以降各地に定着するようになり、沿岸に100にも及ぶ枝村ができた。早くから人口過剰であった内海の島々のなかには、広島県の田島や山口県の八島(やしま)、祝島(いわいしま)などのように九州五島(ごとう)有川方面まで鯨組舸子(くじらぐみかこ)として出稼ぎ、米を持ち帰ったり、山口県長島の白井田(しらいだ)のように塩田浜子や大坂淀(よど)川の舸子として、出稼ぎに出かけていた所もある。

　屋敷の一隅に祀(まつ)られる屋敷神は地主(じぬし)神とも荒神(こうじん)ともよばれるが、これは鳥取県、島根県、山口県にかけて多く分布し、普通、本家の屋敷にある場合が多く、同族神を祀る古い信仰を伝えるものといわれている。なお山口県では土地開墾時に荒神を祀った例も多い。

　埋め墓と詣(まい)り墓と二重に墓をつくる両墓制は、近畿、関東に濃密に分布する特色ある日本の墓制であるが、九州には皆無で、中国地方はその中間地帯にあるが、鳥取県と島根県東端部および岡山県がこの両墓制地方に含まれる。近年、広島県、山口県でもその例が知られるようになり、山口県周南(しゅうなん)市三丘(みつお)、柳井市平郡(へいぐん)島でこの風習のあったことがわかり、両墓制分布の最西端にあたるものとして注目される。

　田植の季節になると、サンバイという田の神を祀る「囃し田(はやしだ)」や「大田植」「花田植」の行事が、東は島根県日野郡地方から西は山口県阿武(あぶ)郡地方にかけての中国山地の農山村に広く残っていたが、近年は少なくなった。その貴重な民俗を伝える広島県北広島町の花田植（国指定重要無形民俗文化財）や島根県浜田市三隅(みすみ)地区の黒沢囃し田などは、飾り牛や早乙女(さおとめ)たちによる華麗な行事として知られる。

　盆踊りの行事は太鼓や笛の伴奏や口説(くどき)節にあわせた緩調のものが多いなかで、広島県三原市の「やっさ踊り」は阿波(あわ)踊りのような熱狂的なテンポに特色がある。一方、旧暦10月は神無月(かんなづき)というが、出雲のみは神在月(かみありづき)で、出雲大社ではお忌み祭が行われる。しかし、もともとは神魂(かもす)神社、朝酌下(あさくみしも)神社、佐太(さだ)神社など7社にも古く伝えられていたもので、出雲らしい祭事として注目される。

［三浦　肇］

民話

中国地方の口承資料は、雑誌『郷土研究』（1913）に発表された島根の昔話を嚆矢(こうし)とする。鳥取県には早く『因伯(いんぱく)童話』『因伯昔話』があった。また岡山県からは『御津(みつ)郡昔話』、広島県からは『安芸国昔話集』がそれぞれ昭和初期に刊行されている。1931年（昭和6）に雑誌『旅と伝説』が昔話を求めた刺激を受けて、山口県下からも資料が残される機運が生じた。中国地方は、いったいに早くから研究者の目が向けられていたといえる。大勢として、昔話、伝説は山間地帯によく行われ、定着している。しかし、海村や島嶼(とうしょ)部では伝承分布は希薄である。瀬戸内笠岡(かさおか)諸島では「歌はおうたい話はおやめ、話は仕事のじゃまになる」といった。そこには労働の厳しい生活から話をはじき出す姿をみることができる。

　岡山県阿哲(あてつ)地方には400話を語る媼(おうな)が、また鳥取県八頭(やず)地方にも200余話を伝承する媼がいたが、伝承者に共通するのは、話し上手であることである。総体的に、昔話は短略化され、筋立てにもあまりとらわれない自由さがある。じっくりと語り込むよりも、自由で軽妙洒脱(しゃだつ)、伸縮自在な話法を用いる。それは、中国地方の話者全体の特色としてもいいうる。先進的な話柄を絶えず取り込み、話者はそれに熟達しようとする姿勢が認められる。あたかも話芸をもっぱらにする咄家(はなしか)の芸にも通うものである。その気風は、この地に行われる彦八(ひこはち)話の隆昌(りゅうしょう)と無縁ではない。彦八話は、才智(さいち)、才覚をもって聞こえた彦八を主人公にした笑い話である。この笑い話は、この地方を席巻(せっけん)し、勢力圏、伝承分布は中国地方一帯とほぼ合致する注目すべき伝承である。また笑いを好む風土のうえに愚か話もよく行われる。広島の越原左衛門(おっぱらせえもん)、鳥取の佐治谷(さじだに)話、俣野(またの)話、岡山の星山話、湯船話、山口の杢路子(むくろうじ)話、山代話など一連の愚か村話が知られる。

［野村純一］

『『日本地理風俗大系　中国地方』（1960・誠文堂新光社）』▽『『図説日本文化地理大系　中国Ⅰ・Ⅱ』（1961、1962・小学館）』▽『『日本の地理　中国・四国編』（1961・岩波書店）』▽『『日本の文化地理　14・15』（1969・講談社）』▽『内藤正中著『山陰の風土と歴史』（1976・山川出版社）』▽『谷口澄夫・後藤陽一著『瀬戸内の風土と歴史』（1978・山川出版社）』▽『地方史研究協議会編『日本産業史大系　中国四国地方編』（1960・東京大学出版会）』▽『網野善彦ほか編『日本民俗文化大系　全14巻・別巻1』（1994・小学館）』▽『日本地誌研究所編『日本地誌16～17巻　中国地方』（1981・二宮書店）』▽『大明堂編集部編『新日本地誌ゼミナール6　中国・四国地方』（1987・大明堂）』