Iwami Province

The former name of the western half of Shimane Prefecture. A long, narrow region sandwiched between the Sea of ​​Japan and the Chugoku Mountains. As the origin of the name Iwami is said to be Iwaumi or Iwami, most of the area is mountainous, and several rivers, including the Gonokawa River and the Takatsu River, flow into the Sea of ​​Japan, but there is no developed alluvial plain.

After the Taika Reforms, five districts were established: Ano, Nima, Naka, Ochi, and Mino. In 843 (Jowa 10), Kanoashi District was separated from Mino District. There is a strong theory that the location of the provincial capital was around Hamada City, but this has not been confirmed at present. It is said that Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was appointed as Iwami Jo in the early 8th century. The Masuda (Mikamoto) clan, a powerful clan in Iwami, came down to Iwami as provincial government officials in the late Heian period and settled there. They established their influence mainly in central and western Iwami, centering on Masuda Sho (eastern Masuda City, southern Hamada City).

In 1193 (Kenkyu 4), Sasaki Sadatsuna was appointed the first Iwami Shugo, but the subsequent Shugo during the Kamakura period is unclear. During the Nanboku-cho period, complex conflicts were repeated between local lords such as the Masuda clan, but in 1364 (Shohei 19, Joji 3), Ouchi Hiroyo became Shugo and began to pacify the area. The Ouchi clan lost their position as Shugo in the Oei War (1399), and the Yamana clan entered the area, but after the Onin War (1467-77), the position was returned to the Ouchi clan. Iwami Silver Mine (Oda City), which underwent full-scale development during the Sengoku period, became the target of competition between various powerful clans, including the Ouchi, Amago, Mori, and Ogasawara clans, but later came under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate, reaching its peak in the first half of the 17th century. During the Edo period, Iwami was divided into three domains: the Ginzan Domain, Hamada Domain, and Tsuwano Domain. It is noteworthy that in the early modern period, Jodo Shinshu spread to eastern Iwami, centered on the Ginzan Domain, and formed a strong base of followers known as Iwami Monto. During the second Choshu expedition in 1866 (Keio 2), the pro-Choshu Hamada Domain was attacked by Choshu forces, causing the domain lord to flee and the castle to burn. On the other hand, Tsuwano Domain maintained friendly relations with Choshu, and produced many talented people who played an active role under the new Meiji government.

In 1869 (Meiji 2), the silver mine territory of Hamada Domain and Oki Prefecture became Omori Prefecture, but the following year it was renamed Hamada Prefecture. In 1871, Tsuwano Domain was incorporated, and soon after Oki was transferred, and the whole of Iwami became Hamada Prefecture. In 1876, Hamada Prefecture was incorporated into Shimane Prefecture.

[Da. T. Fujioka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

島根県の西半部にあたる旧国名。日本海と中国山地に挟まれた狭長な地形。石見の語源が石海(いわうみ)あるいは石満(いわみ)であるといわれるように、大部分が山地で、江の川(ごうのかわ)、高津(たかつ)川など数条の河川が日本海に注いでいるが、沖積平野は発達していない。

　大化改新後、安濃(あの)、邇摩(にま)、那賀(なか)、邑知(おおち)、美濃(みの)の5郡が置かれたが、843年（承和10）美濃郡から鹿足(かのあし)郡が分立した。国府の所在地については浜田市周辺説が強いが、現在のところ確認されていない。8世紀初め、柿本人麻呂(かきのもとのひとまろ)が石見掾(じょう)として赴任したといわれる。石見の豪族益田(ますだ)（御神本(みかもと)）氏は、平安末期、国衙官人(こくがかんじん)として下向、土着したもので、益田荘(しょう)（益田市東部、浜田市南部）を中心に、主として石見中西部に勢力を扶植した。

　1193年（建久4）佐々木定綱(さだつな)が初代石見守護に補任(ぶにん)されたが、以後の鎌倉期守護は明らかでない。南北朝期には益田氏など在地領主の間で複雑な抗争が繰り返されたが、1364年（正平19・貞治3）大内弘世(おおうちひろよ)が守護となるに及んで平定に向かった。大内氏は応永(おうえい)の乱（1399）で守護職を失い、山名(やまな)氏が入部するが、応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～77）後はふたたび大内氏に還補(げんぽ)された。戦国時代に本格的開発が行われた石見銀山（大田(おおだ)市）は、大内、尼子(あまご)、毛利(もうり)、小笠原(おがさわら)ら諸豪の争奪の的となるが、のち徳川幕府の直轄地となり、17世紀前半最盛期を迎えた。江戸時代の石見は、銀山領、浜田藩、津和野(つわの)藩に三分されたが、近世初頭、銀山領を中心とする石見東部に、浄土真宗が伝播(でんぱ)し、石見門徒とよばれる強固な地盤を形成したことは注目される。1866年（慶応2）長州再征のとき、親藩浜田藩は長州軍の攻撃を受け、藩主は逃亡、城は炎上した。一方、津和野藩は長州に好誼(こうぎ)を通じたので、明治新政府のもとで活躍する人材が輩出した。

　1869年（明治2）銀山領、浜田藩は隠岐(おき)県とともに大森県となったが、翌年浜田県と改称。1871年には津和野藩が編入され、まもなく隠岐が移管されて石見一円が浜田県となった。1876年に浜田県は島根県に編入された。

［藤岡大拙］

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