Uzen

Uzen Province (羽前国, Uzen no kuni) was a historic province of Japan located in the Tōhoku region. It occupied the eastern portion of the old Dewa Province and corresponds largely to today’s Yamagata Prefecture. The name Uzen reflects its position as the “front” (前) portion of Dewa, with the complementary “rear” portion known as Ugo (羽後国).

In the治理 framework of the ritsuryō system, Japan’s provinces were established in the 7th century, and Dewa was later subdivided into Uzen and Ugo as administrative units. Over the subsequent centuries, the province was governed within the feudal han system. During the Sengoku and Edo periods, lands in Uzen were managed by various daimyo under the broader administration of the Dewa region, with prominent clans such as the Mogami and Date playing significant roles in neighboring areas of the province’s sphere of influence.

With the Meiji Restoration, Japan abolished the han feudal system in 1871 and replaced it with a modern prefectural arrangement in 1876. Uzen was incorporated into Yamagata Prefecture, and the old provincial structure ceased to function as an administrative unit. In historical and cultural contexts, Uzen remains a recognized region name, referenced in historical documents and regional identities associated with Yamagata.