Toyohara

Toyohara is a historical name used for Sakhalin Island, particularly during the period of Japanese administration. Following the Russo-Japanese War, the southern half of Sakhalin was ceded to Japan by the Treaty of Portsmouth in 1905. This territory was organized as Karafuto Prefecture, and its capital was established in Toyohara. Today, Toyohara is known as Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the administrative center of Sakhalin Oblast in Russia.

The name Toyohara itself is of Japanese origin, meaning "abundant plain." Under Japanese rule, the city grew as an administrative, economic, and cultural center for southern Sakhalin. It developed a distinct Japanese character with infrastructure and services typical of the era. Following World War II, the Soviet Union occupied the entire island of Sakhalin, and the Japanese population was repatriated. The city's name was changed to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in 1946, signifying its location in the south of Sakhalin.

The legacy of the Toyohara period can still be seen in some of the architecture and urban planning of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The transition from Japanese to Russian administration marked a significant turning point for the island and its inhabitants, reshaping its identity and its place on the global map. While the name Toyohara is no longer in official use, it remains an important historical reference for understanding the complex past of Sakhalin Island.