Mutsu Province (1868)

Mutsu Province (陸奥国), officially called Rikuō Province (陸奥国) was an old province of Japan in the area of Iwate and Aomori prefecture.

It was also known as Ōshū (奥州) or Rikushū (陸州). In the Meiji era, the province was cut down to cover only present-day Aomori and given the new name Rikuō Province, which retained the original kanji.

History
On December 7, 1868 (January 19, 1869 in the Gregorian calendar), four additional provinces (Rikuchū, Rikuzen, Iwaki, and Iwashiro) were separated from Mutsu, leaving only a rump corresponding to today's Aomori Prefecture (with Ninohe District of Iwate Prefecture). At the same time, while the characters of the name were unchanged, the official reading was changed to the on'yomi version "Rikuō".

Historical districts
Mutsu (Rikuō) Province consisted of nine districts:


 * Aomori Prefecture
 * Tsugaru District (津軽郡)
 * Higashitsugaru District (東津軽郡)
 * Kitatsugaru District (北津軽郡)
 * Minamitsugaru District (南津軽郡)
 * Nakatsugaru District (中津軽郡)
 * Nishitsugaru District (西津軽郡)
 * Kita District (北郡)
 * Kamikita District (上北郡)
 * Shimokita District (下北郡)
 * Sannohe District (三戸郡)
 * Iwate Prefecture
 * Ninohe District (二戸郡)

Other websites

 * Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903