908:
821:
936:
993:
922:
69:
57:
835:
554:
1567:
894:
569:
964:
950:
1331:
342:
was originally used to refer to the collection of "middle countries" to the west of the capital. However, only five (fewer than half) of the provinces normally considered part of Chūgoku region were in fact classified as middle countries, and the term never applied to the many middle countries to the
384:, which led to the region's alternative name described below. However, because some of the easternmost provinces were later subsumed into prefectures based primarily in Kansai, those areas are, strictly speaking, not part of the Chūgoku region in modern usage.
646:
Per
Japanese census data, the Chūgoku region as a whole has experienced a steady population decline since 1992, with some prefectures within the region experiencing declines since 1985. The region reached a peak population of roughly 7.8 million in 1991.
1431:
1281:
623:
The Chūgoku region is characterized by irregular rolling hills and limited plain areas and is divided into two distinct parts by mountains running east and west through its center.
1424:
1417:
1380:
907:
1216:
472:. In modern times, primarily in the tourism industry, for the same purpose, the Chūgoku region is also called the "San'in‐San'yō region".
820:
992:
512:
935:
643:
amounts to around 3 million people for the Chūgoku region. The rest of Chūgoku region is sparsely populated and very rural.
270:
literally means "middle country", but the origin of the name is unclear. Historically, Japan was divided into a number of
1261:
68:
1244:
921:
278:, which were in turn classified according to both their power and their distances from the administrative center in
406:
56:
834:
562:
893:
1951:
1930:
1347:
175:
1452:
1440:
1178:
453:
224:
47:
1495:
1220:
1215:
452:
in order to avoid confusing the Chūgoku region. Due to the extensive use of this word during the
1096:
639:
whose total population of the two metropolitan areas amount to 2.808 million as of 2020. Their
1292:
963:
640:
1908:
1845:
1827:
1822:
1721:
1635:
1575:
1444:
1100:
998:
982:
581:
577:
256:
240:
180:
949:
477:
8:
1903:
1893:
1888:
1789:
1736:
1711:
1683:
1630:
1500:
1024:
1020:
913:
859:
608:, the other two components of modern-day Okayama, were considered "near countries" (近国).
553:
393:
151:
1860:
1779:
1527:
1193:
485:
205:
1913:
1878:
1817:
1812:
1807:
1701:
1668:
1658:
1653:
1554:
1173:
1141:
1128:
1104:
1038:
1034:
593:
589:
585:
271:
252:
248:
244:
1898:
1164:
597:
1850:
1726:
1706:
1620:
1610:
1566:
601:
410:
388:
194:
170:
1303:
493:
1855:
1774:
1769:
1764:
1741:
1716:
1673:
1663:
1625:
1615:
1522:
1409:
1188:
1078:
1060:
1042:
969:
883:
538:
530:
473:
434:
414:
372:
282:. Under the latter classification, most provinces are divided into "near countries"
201:
1602:
1478:
1468:
1883:
1784:
1731:
1549:
1544:
1490:
1265:
1112:
1108:
1086:
1082:
1068:
1054:
941:
871:
489:
1693:
1645:
1505:
1485:
1473:
351:, which was historically important as the link between Japan and mainland Asia.
1759:
1183:
1168:
1064:
1050:
1046:
605:
534:
1367:
1314:
1258:
519:
in 1945, and is now an industrial metropolis of more than one million people.
359:
1945:
1751:
1512:
1395:
1382:
1335:
617:
279:
568:
1072:
481:
439:
430:
129:
19:"Chugoku" redirects here. For the country named "Chugoku" in Japanese, see
1870:
1539:
1341:
1116:
1016:
927:
865:
609:
542:
522:
516:
461:
348:
1584:
1463:
422:
324:
290:
287:
1132:
1090:
1012:
899:
853:
826:
804:
632:
526:
508:
142:
1592:
433:
in
English for a region of England. However, before the end of the
1837:
1534:
1334:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
1150:
1030:
840:
810:
636:
613:
558:
450:, which shares the same etymology of the word "China" in English)
529:
reduced the productivity of the Inland Sea fishing grounds; and
955:
877:
232:
228:
147:
343:
east of Kansai. Therefore, an alternative explanation is that
1678:
1372:
402:
236:
20:
1245:"県民経済計算（平成23年度 - 令和２年度）（2008SNA、平成27年基準計数）＜47都道府県、4政令指定都市分＞"
134:
576:
The Chūgoku region consists of the following prefectures:
488:("yang of the mountains") is the southern part facing the
631:
The two largest metropolitan areas in Chūgoku region are
511:, the "capital" of the Chūgoku region, was rebuilt after
1154:, Chūgoku is referred to as "the land of martial arts".
1270:
Chugoku
Regional Tourism Portal Site: Navigate Chugoku
1368:
Information about
Chugoku and Seto Inland Sea regions
1439:
1340:Dolan, Ronald E.; Worden, Robert L., eds. (1992).
1943:
1257:Chugoku Regional Tourism Promotion Association
1217:Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
331:
312:
296:
216:
184:
1315:Chūgoku region 1920-2000 population statistics
445:
377:
364:
322:
306:
285:
210:
36:
1425:
1237:
421:, lit. "Middle Kingdom" or "Middle Country" (
259:. In 2010, it had a population of 7,563,428.
95:31,922.26 km (12,325.25 sq mi)
1211:
1209:
1339:
1432:
1418:
1304:Hiroshima 1995-2020 population statistics
1206:
347:referred to provinces between Kansai and
600:was considered a "middle country" (中国);
567:
552:
1944:
664:
1413:
1219:Statistics Bureau (26 October 2011).
338:. Therefore, one explanation is that
193:
468:has since then been used instead of
239:. It consists of the prefectures of
480:") is the northern part facing the
429:). It is similar to the use of the
13:
659:
464:and was abandoned thereafter, and
417:to refer to China, but pronounced
14:
1963:
1361:
492:. These names were created using
437:, China was more commonly called
1565:
1329:
991:
962:
948:
934:
920:
906:
892:
833:
819:
596:is also included, although only
358:referred to the 16 provinces of
67:
55:
1323:
626:
541:is less industrialized with an
1308:
1297:
1286:
1275:
1251:
1005:
1:
1272:. Accessed 15 September 2013.
1199:
620:neighbor the Chūgoku region.
1259:"Overview of Chugoku Region"
548:
405:" after the founding of the
7:
1373:Into You WEST JAPAN Chugoku
1158:
1135:Chūgoku (translated as the
563:International Space Station
533:is an area concentrated on
332:
313:
297:
223:region, is the westernmost
217:
185:
61:The Chūgoku region in Japan
10:
1968:
1122:
502:‐based place‐naming scheme
401:began to be used to mean "
262:
195:[tɕɯːɡokɯ̥tɕiꜜhoː]
73:Geofeatures map of Chugoku
18:
1926:
1869:
1836:
1798:
1750:
1692:
1644:
1601:
1583:
1574:
1563:
1451:
1348:Federal Research Division
1139:) as the setting for her
793:
677:—
446:
392:
378:
365:
323:
307:
286:
211:
174:
158:
141:
125:
120:
112:
104:
99:
91:
86:
78:
66:
54:
45:
37:
31:
1179:List of regions in Japan
572:Chūgoku, satellite photo
35:
807:(population: 1,200,000)
116:240/km (610/sq mi)
1356:By Bike around Chugoku
1343:Japan: A Country Study
1095:Yamaguchi Prefecture:
1011:Hiroshima Prefecture:
573:
565:
121:Gross Regional Product
985:(population: 200,000)
886:(population: 200,000)
880:(population: 210,000)
874:(population: 220,000)
868:(population: 260,000)
862:(population: 460,000)
856:(population: 480,000)
813:(population: 720,000)
651:Historical population
641:Urban Employment Area
571:
556:
319:, and "far countries"
1445:prefectures of Japan
1077:Tottori Prefecture:
1059:Shimane Prefecture:
1029:Okayama Prefecture:
543:agricultural economy
303:, "middle countries"
200:, also known as the
113: • Density
1392: /
652:
557:Chūgoku region and
218:San'in-San'yō-chihō
1396:35.050°N 134.067°E
1264:2016-08-07 at the
1174:Geography of Japan
1142:Tales of the Otori
977:Other major cities
650:
574:
566:
126: • Total
105: • Total
92: • Total
1939:
1938:
1922:
1921:
799:Designated cities
791:
790:
602:Mimasaka Province
454:Sino-Japanese War
407:Republic of China
391:, the characters
162:
161:
1959:
1581:
1580:
1569:
1434:
1427:
1420:
1411:
1410:
1407:
1406:
1404:
1403:
1402:
1397:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1388:
1385:
1351:
1333:
1332:
1317:
1312:
1306:
1301:
1295:
1290:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1255:
1249:
1248:
1241:
1235:
1234:
1232:
1230:
1225:
1221:"平成 22 年国勢調査の概要"
1213:
995:
966:
952:
938:
928:Shimonoseki City
924:
910:
896:
837:
823:
666:
661:
653:
649:
451:
449:
448:
397:and the reading
396:
383:
381:
380:
370:
368:
367:
337:
335:
329:
328:
318:
316:
310:
309:
302:
300:
294:
293:
222:
220:
214:
213:
199:
197:
192:
188:
178:
71:
59:
40:
39:
29:
28:
1967:
1966:
1962:
1961:
1960:
1958:
1957:
1956:
1942:
1941:
1940:
1935:
1918:
1865:
1832:
1794:
1746:
1688:
1640:
1597:
1570:
1561:
1456:
1447:
1438:
1401:35.050; 134.067
1400:
1398:
1394:
1391:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1364:
1330:
1326:
1321:
1320:
1313:
1309:
1302:
1298:
1291:
1287:
1282:Hiroshima metro
1280:
1276:
1266:Wayback Machine
1256:
1252:
1243:
1242:
1238:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1214:
1207:
1202:
1165:Chūgoku dialect
1161:
1125:
1008:
1001:
996:
972:
967:
958:
953:
944:
939:
930:
925:
916:
911:
902:
897:
843:
838:
829:
824:
796:
629:
598:Bitchū Province
551:
537:. In contrast,
513:being destroyed
490:Seto Inland Sea
443:
375:
362:
320:
304:
283:
265:
208:
190:
168:
133:
132:30.745 trillion
74:
62:
50:
41:
34:
27:
26:Region in Japan
24:
17:
16:Region of Japan
12:
11:
5:
1965:
1955:
1954:
1952:Chūgoku region
1937:
1936:
1934:
1933:
1927:
1924:
1923:
1920:
1919:
1917:
1916:
1911:
1906:
1901:
1896:
1891:
1886:
1881:
1875:
1873:
1867:
1866:
1864:
1863:
1858:
1853:
1848:
1842:
1840:
1834:
1833:
1831:
1830:
1825:
1820:
1815:
1810:
1804:
1802:
1796:
1795:
1793:
1792:
1787:
1782:
1777:
1772:
1767:
1762:
1756:
1754:
1748:
1747:
1745:
1744:
1739:
1734:
1729:
1724:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1698:
1696:
1690:
1689:
1687:
1686:
1681:
1676:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1656:
1650:
1648:
1642:
1641:
1639:
1638:
1633:
1628:
1623:
1618:
1613:
1607:
1605:
1599:
1598:
1596:
1595:
1589:
1587:
1578:
1572:
1571:
1564:
1562:
1560:
1559:
1558:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1537:
1532:
1531:
1530:
1525:
1515:
1510:
1509:
1508:
1503:
1498:
1493:
1483:
1482:
1481:
1471:
1466:
1460:
1458:
1449:
1448:
1437:
1436:
1429:
1422:
1414:
1376:
1375:
1370:
1363:
1362:External links
1360:
1359:
1358:
1352:
1325:
1322:
1319:
1318:
1307:
1296:
1285:
1274:
1250:
1236:
1204:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1197:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1184:Names of China
1181:
1176:
1171:
1169:Umpaku dialect
1160:
1157:
1156:
1155:
1146:
1137:Middle Country
1124:
1121:
1120:
1119:
1093:
1075:
1057:
1027:
1007:
1004:
1003:
1002:
999:Yamaguchi City
997:
990:
987:
986:
979:
978:
974:
973:
968:
961:
959:
954:
947:
945:
940:
933:
931:
926:
919:
917:
912:
905:
903:
900:Kurashiki City
898:
891:
888:
887:
881:
875:
869:
863:
857:
850:
849:
845:
844:
839:
832:
830:
827:Hiroshima City
825:
818:
815:
814:
808:
801:
800:
795:
792:
789:
788:
785:
782:
778:
777:
774:
771:
767:
766:
763:
760:
756:
755:
752:
749:
745:
744:
741:
738:
734:
733:
730:
727:
723:
722:
719:
716:
712:
711:
708:
705:
701:
700:
697:
694:
690:
689:
686:
683:
679:
678:
675:
672:
668:
667:
662:
657:
628:
625:
606:Bizen Province
561:seen from the
550:
547:
535:heavy industry
462:offensive word
460:has become an
354:Historically,
264:
261:
231:, the largest
166:Chūgoku region
160:
159:
156:
155:
145:
139:
138:
127:
123:
122:
118:
117:
114:
110:
109:
106:
102:
101:
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
72:
64:
63:
60:
52:
51:
46:
43:
42:
33:Chūgoku region
32:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1964:
1953:
1950:
1949:
1947:
1932:
1929:
1928:
1925:
1915:
1912:
1910:
1907:
1905:
1902:
1900:
1897:
1895:
1892:
1890:
1887:
1885:
1882:
1880:
1877:
1876:
1874:
1872:
1868:
1862:
1859:
1857:
1854:
1852:
1849:
1847:
1844:
1843:
1841:
1839:
1835:
1829:
1826:
1824:
1821:
1819:
1816:
1814:
1811:
1809:
1806:
1805:
1803:
1801:
1797:
1791:
1788:
1786:
1783:
1781:
1778:
1776:
1773:
1771:
1768:
1766:
1763:
1761:
1758:
1757:
1755:
1753:
1749:
1743:
1740:
1738:
1735:
1733:
1730:
1728:
1725:
1723:
1720:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1699:
1697:
1695:
1691:
1685:
1682:
1680:
1677:
1675:
1672:
1670:
1667:
1665:
1662:
1660:
1657:
1655:
1652:
1651:
1649:
1647:
1643:
1637:
1634:
1632:
1629:
1627:
1624:
1622:
1619:
1617:
1614:
1612:
1609:
1608:
1606:
1604:
1600:
1594:
1591:
1590:
1588:
1586:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1573:
1568:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1542:
1541:
1538:
1536:
1533:
1529:
1526:
1524:
1521:
1520:
1519:
1516:
1514:
1511:
1507:
1504:
1502:
1499:
1497:
1494:
1492:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1484:
1480:
1479:Nanpō Islands
1477:
1476:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1461:
1459:
1454:
1450:
1446:
1442:
1435:
1430:
1428:
1423:
1421:
1416:
1415:
1412:
1408:
1405:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1365:
1357:
1353:
1349:
1345:
1344:
1337:
1336:public domain
1328:
1327:
1316:
1311:
1305:
1300:
1294:
1293:Okayama metro
1289:
1283:
1278:
1271:
1267:
1263:
1260:
1254:
1246:
1240:
1222:
1218:
1212:
1210:
1205:
1195:
1194:San'yō region
1192:
1190:
1189:San'in region
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1166:
1163:
1162:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1134:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1118:
1114:
1110:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1084:
1080:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1062:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1048:
1044:
1040:
1036:
1032:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1000:
994:
989:
988:
984:
981:
980:
976:
975:
971:
965:
960:
957:
951:
946:
943:
937:
932:
929:
923:
918:
915:
914:Fukuyama City
909:
904:
901:
895:
890:
889:
885:
882:
879:
876:
873:
870:
867:
864:
861:
858:
855:
852:
851:
847:
846:
842:
836:
831:
828:
822:
817:
816:
812:
809:
806:
803:
802:
798:
797:
786:
783:
780:
779:
775:
772:
769:
768:
764:
761:
758:
757:
753:
750:
747:
746:
742:
739:
736:
735:
731:
728:
725:
724:
720:
717:
714:
713:
709:
706:
703:
702:
698:
695:
692:
691:
687:
684:
681:
680:
676:
673:
670:
669:
663:
658:
655:
654:
648:
644:
642:
638:
634:
624:
621:
619:
615:
611:
607:
603:
599:
595:
591:
587:
583:
579:
570:
564:
560:
555:
546:
544:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
520:
518:
514:
510:
505:
503:
501:
497:
491:
487:
483:
479:
476:("yin of the
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
442:
441:
436:
432:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
395:
390:
385:
374:
361:
357:
352:
350:
346:
341:
334:
326:
315:
299:
292:
289:
281:
277:
273:
269:
260:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
219:
207:
203:
196:
187:
186:Chūgoku-chihō
182:
177:
172:
167:
157:
153:
149:
146:
144:
140:
136:
131:
128:
124:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
98:
94:
90:
85:
81:
77:
70:
65:
58:
53:
49:
44:
30:
22:
1799:
1517:
1377:
1355:
1342:
1324:Bibliography
1310:
1299:
1288:
1277:
1269:
1253:
1239:
1227:. Retrieved
1149:
1140:
1136:
1073:Iwami Ginzan
970:Tottori City
841:Okayama City
645:
630:
627:Demographics
622:
575:
521:
507:The city of
506:
499:
495:
482:Sea of Japan
469:
465:
457:
438:
431:West Country
426:
418:
413:are used in
398:
386:
355:
353:
344:
339:
275:
267:
266:
165:
163:
1576:Prefectures
1496:Kōshin'etsu
1399: /
1117:Akiyoshidai
1097:Shimonoseki
1006:Sightseeing
956:Matsue City
866:Shimonoseki
848:Core cities
523:Overfishing
517:atomic bomb
456:, the term
409:. The same
137:282 billion
1457:subregions
1354:Tony Gibb
1200:References
1129:Lian Hearn
423:Wade Giles
411:characters
100:Population
1909:Kagoshima
1846:Tokushima
1828:Yamaguchi
1823:Hiroshima
1722:Yamanashi
1636:Fukushima
1501:Shin'etsu
1101:Yamaguchi
1091:Kurayoshi
1039:Takahashi
1035:Kurashiki
1013:Hiroshima
983:Yamaguchi
942:Kure City
854:Kurashiki
805:Hiroshima
784:7,328,339
773:7,563,428
762:7,732,499
751:7,746,000
740:7,586,000
729:6,997,000
718:6,944,000
707:6,797,000
696:5,718,000
685:5,341,000
674:4,971,000
633:Hiroshima
582:Yamaguchi
578:Hiroshima
549:Geography
527:pollution
509:Hiroshima
478:mountains
427:Chung-kuo
272:provinces
257:Yamaguchi
241:Hiroshima
143:Time zone
108:7,563,428
1946:Category
1931:Category
1904:Miyazaki
1894:Kumamoto
1889:Nagasaki
1790:Wakayama
1737:Shizuoka
1712:Ishikawa
1684:Kanagawa
1631:Yamagata
1593:Hokkaido
1585:Hokkaidō
1550:Southern
1545:Northern
1491:Hokuriku
1464:Hokkaidō
1387:134°04′E
1262:Archived
1159:See also
1145:trilogy.
1025:Onomichi
1021:Fukuyama
1017:Miyajima
860:Fukuyama
419:Zhōngguó
389:Japanese
373:San'yōdō
360:San'indō
171:Japanese
1914:Okinawa
1879:Fukuoka
1838:Shikoku
1818:Okayama
1813:Shimane
1808:Tottori
1800:Chūgoku
1702:Niigata
1669:Saitama
1659:Tochigi
1654:Ibaraki
1555:Okinawa
1535:Shikoku
1518:Chūgoku
1453:Regions
1441:Regions
1384:35°03′N
1151:B. Ichi
1131:used a
1123:Fiction
1105:Iwakuni
1079:Tottori
1061:Tsuwano
1043:Tsuyama
1031:Okayama
884:Tottori
811:Okayama
637:Okayama
614:Shikoku
594:Okayama
590:Tottori
586:Shimane
559:Shikoku
466:Chūgoku
415:Chinese
399:Chūgoku
356:Chūgoku
345:Chūgoku
340:Chūgoku
314:chūgoku
298:kingoku
274:called
268:Chūgoku
263:History
253:Tottori
249:Shimane
245:Okayama
181:Hepburn
79:Country
1871:Kyūshū
1851:Kagawa
1752:Kansai
1727:Nagano
1707:Toyama
1621:Miyagi
1611:Aomori
1603:Tōhoku
1540:Kyūshū
1528:San'yō
1523:San'in
1513:Kansai
1469:Tōhoku
1455:&
1338:.
1133:feudal
1087:Daisen
1083:Misasa
1069:Matsue
1055:Tamano
878:Matsue
794:Cities
710:+18.9%
618:Kansai
616:, and
610:Kyūshū
588:, and
539:San'in
531:San'yo
515:by an
486:San'yō
474:San'in
349:Kyūshū
333:ongoku
280:Kansai
233:island
229:Honshū
225:region
212:山陰山陽地方
206:San'yō
202:San'in
48:Region
1861:Kōchi
1856:Ehime
1780:Hyōgo
1775:Osaka
1770:Kyoto
1765:Shiga
1742:Aichi
1717:Fukui
1694:Chūbu
1679:Tokyo
1674:Chiba
1664:Gunma
1646:Kantō
1626:Akita
1616:Iwate
1506:Tōkai
1486:Chūbu
1474:Kantō
1229:6 May
1224:(PDF)
1065:Izumo
1051:Bizen
1047:Niimi
787:−3.1%
781:2020
776:−2.2%
770:2010
765:−0.2%
759:2000
754:+2.1%
748:1990
743:+8.4%
737:1980
732:+0.8%
726:1970
721:+2.2%
715:1960
704:1950
699:+7.1%
693:1940
688:+7.4%
682:1930
671:1920
470:shina
458:shina
447:支那/シナ
440:shina
403:China
237:Japan
148:UTC+9
82:Japan
21:China
1899:Ōita
1884:Saga
1785:Nara
1732:Gifu
1443:and
1231:2012
1167:and
1113:Hagi
1109:Hofu
872:Kure
660:Pop.
656:Year
635:and
604:and
525:and
500:yang
498:and
494:the
371:and
276:koku
255:and
191:IPA:
176:中国地方
164:The
135:US$
87:Area
38:中国地方
1760:Mie
1148:In
496:yin
435:WW2
387:In
379:山陽道
366:山陰道
235:of
227:of
152:JST
130:JP￥
1948::
1346:.
1268:,
1208:^
1115:,
1111:,
1107:,
1103:,
1099:,
1089:,
1085:,
1081:,
1071:,
1067:,
1063:,
1053:,
1049:,
1045:,
1041:,
1037:,
1033:,
1023:,
1019:,
1015:,
665:±%
612:,
592:.
584:,
580:,
545:.
504:.
484:.
425::
394:中国
330:,
311:,
308:中国
295:,
251:,
247:,
243:,
215:,
189:,
183::
179:,
173::
1433:e
1426:t
1419:v
1350:.
1247:.
1233:.
444:(
382:)
376:(
369:)
363:(
336:)
327:国
325:遠
321:(
317:)
305:(
301:)
291:国
288:近
284:(
221:)
209:(
204:-
198:)
169:(
154:)
150:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
