In the late 7th century, during the reign of
Emperor Monmu, the ancient province of was divided into three separate provinces:
Echizen,
Etchū, and Echigo. The new Echigo Province consisted of
Iwafune and
Nutari Districts, and was one of two border provinces of the
Yamato state with the
Emishi (the other being
Mutsu). In 702, Echigo was given the four districts of
Kubiki,
Koshi,
Uonuma and
Kanbara from Etchū. When Japan extended its territory northward in 708,
Dewa District was established under Echigo. But this district was transformed into
Dewa Province in 712.
Sado Province was temporarily merged with Echigo between 743 and 752. Since the division of Sado in 752, the territory of Echigo remained constant to the
Meiji period. The
provincial capital of Echigo was located in Kubiki District, in what is now the city of
Jōetsu, but its exact location is now unknown. The temple of , also in Jōetsu, claims to be the successor of the
provincial temple of Echigo Province; however, its records date only to 1562 when it was relocated to its present location by
Uesugi Kenshin. Two
Shinto shrines vie for the title of
ichinomiya of Echigo Province:
Yahiko Shrine in
Yahiko, and
Kota Shrine in Jōetsu. Echigo was ruled directly by the
Hōjō clan during the
Kamakura period, followed by the
Uesugi clan from the start of the
Muromachi period to the late
Sengoku period. Under the
Tokugawa shogunate of the
Edo period, Echigo was divided among several
feudal domains. The
Hokurikudō highway passed through the province, and numerous
post stations were established. The port of Niigata was also of major importance in the coastal
kitamaebune trading system. The area became a battleground during the
Battle of Hokuetsu in the
Boshin War of the
Meiji Restoration. Following the establishment of the
Meiji government, the various domains and provinces became prefectures with the
abolition of the han system in 1871. These various prefectures merged to form Niigata Prefecture in 1876. ==Historical districts==