博多に「人魚が眠っている」って知ってた？福岡地名の由来が面白すぎるTOP10

Did you know that a mermaid sleeps in Hakata? We use Fukuoka place names every day without thinking. Tracing their origins reveals a history involving Sengoku-era warlords, exiled nobles, and even names "imported" from Okayama. Once you know, you won't be able to walk the streets with the same eyes anymore—we'll introduce the origins of Fukuoka place names in a ranking format. Fukuoka's proprietress, "Goryon-san," will honestly share her insights based on data and local voices. ▼Top 10 Fukuoka Place Name Origins Ranking 10th Place: Tsushima-koji (Tsumashoji) / Hakata Ward Derived from the fact that So Yoshitomo, the lord of Tsushima Domain, who was granted land by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, built his residence there. A difficult-to-read place name that changed from "Tsumashoji" to "Tsumashoji." 9th Place: Naraya-machi (Narayamachi) / Hakata Ward Derived from the fact that the wealthy merchant "Nara-ya Kyubei" lived there. The area was once called "Sotan-machi" (Sotan Town) because it was home to the residence of Sotan Kamiya, one of the "Three Great Figures of Hakata." The name still lives on in the name of Naraya Elementary School. 8th Place: Dazaifu Ancient government offices and ruins are referred to as "Dazaifu," while place names and Tenmangu shrines from the medieval period onward are referred to as "Dazaifu." This distinction became widespread in the late 1950s. It's a surprisingly new rule, proposed by a professor at Kyushu University. 7th Place: Reizen-machi / Hakata Ward In 1222, a giant mermaid caught in a net in Hakata Bay was buried at Ryugu-ji Temple as an auspicious sign. The temple's mountain name became "Reizen-zan" after the imperial envoy "Reizei Chunagon" who came from Kyoto. A "mermaid mound" still exists at Ryugu-ji Temple. 6th Place: Nakasu The name reflects the geographical feature of the area, sandwiched between the Nakagawa, Hakatagawa, and Yakuin Shinkawa rivers. Until the mid-18th century, it was mostly farmland, but with the rise of Kabuki and Sumo in the late Edo period and the popularity of bars in the Taisho era, it became an entertainment district. Hakata locals pronounce it "Nakasu" without the voiced consonant. 5th Place: Zassho-no-Kuma One of the most difficult place names to read in Japan. The most likely theory is that it was the place where the "Zassho," an official of Dazaifu, lived. "Kuma" means the edge or corner of the land. Another theory suggests that shops catering to officials and travelers lined the official road. 4th Place: Tenjin Derived from the Suikyō Tenmangu Shrine, which was relocated during the Edo period. The name comes from the "Tenjin-sama (Michizane)" enshrined at the site where Sugawara no Michizane, who was exiled to Dazaifu, is said to have seen his reflection in the river. 3rd Place: Oyafukō-dōri (Unfilial Street) In 1976, the two major cram schools, Mizuki Gakuen and Kyushu Eisu Gakkan, relocated here. The name originated from a comment by the owner of a coffee shop frequented by students preparing for university entrance exams. After being called "Oyafuko-dori" (Filial Piety Street) and other names, it was revived as "Oyafuko-dori" (Unfilial Piety Street) in 2017 at the request of locals. 2nd Place: Hakata The etymology is uncertain and there are several theories. These include the "Hagata" (羽形) theory, the "Tomarigata" (戸潟) theory, the "Hakuhirotasan" (博広多産) theory, the "Hanekata" (羽片) theory, and the "Hagata" (葉形) theory. It already appears as "Hakata Otsu" in the "Shoku Nihongi" (Continued Chronicles of Japan) from the 8th century (759 AD). 1st Place: Fukuoka Originally, it wasn't a place name in Fukuoka. In 1601, Kuroda Nagamasa, the first lord of the Fukuoka domain, brought the name from the village of "Fukuoka" in Bizen Province (present-day Osafune-cho, Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture), which was associated with the Kuroda clan's ancestors. It's a place name "imported" from Okayama about 400 years ago, and the name "Fukuoka" still remains in Okayama today. ▼Recommended for: ・Those who love Fukuoka and Hakata ・Those who are interested in local history and the origins of place names ・Those who live in Fukuoka or are planning to visit What are the origins of the place names in your town or town you frequently visit? Please tell us in the comments! #Fukuoka #Hakata #OriginsOfPlaceNames #FukuokaFacts #Trivia #Local #Tenjin #Nakasu #Dazaifu #MermaidLegend