Bungo Province
Bungo ( Japanese 豊 後 国 , Bungo no kuni ) is a former province in Japan that bordered the provinces of Buzen , Hyūga , Higo and Chikugo . Today the area corresponds to Ōita prefecture .
history
The province emerged at the end of the 7th century from the splitting of the province of Toyo ( 豊 国 ) into the provinces of Buzen (German "Front Toyo") and Bungo (German "Rear Toyo"). These were collectively referred to as Hōshū ( 豊 州 , "Toyo Province (s)"). The characters of Bungo were also read as Toyo-kuni no michi no shiri in the early days .
During the Sengoku period , Bungo was the headquarters of the Ōtomo clan.
It is believed that the capital ( 国 府 , kokufu ) of Bungo was in what is now the Furugō ( 古国 府 ) district of Ōita , which means “old provincial capital”. However, no archaeological evidence of this has been found to date.
The land of bungo plays a role in the first encounter between Japan and Europe . The first Portuguese to reach Japan's coast landed on the coast of Bungo and had contact with the Prince of Bungo, who they believed to be the ruler of Japan.
Coordinates: 33 ° 11 ' N , 131 ° 23' E