 Ancient
Times
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Futagoyama Kofun
(ancient burial mound)
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The Iwajuku ruins, which are renowned for being the first evidence
that a Stone Age culture existed in Japan, were discovered in Kasakake
Town in 1946. The discovery was crucial in proving the existence
of a culture in Japan that pre-dated that of the Jomon period.
Also, the discovery of 8,400 burial mounds throughout the prefecture
, believed to have been built when the region was called "the
Kozuke district", indicate that Gunma had been the center of
Eastern Japan since the time of the Yamato dynasty.
The Kozuke district, along with the Shimotsuke district (now known
as Tochigi Prefecture) was at the forefront of the culture of the
Yamato dynasty, which originated from Western Japan.
Medieval
Times
The samurai warrior class, represented by the Nitta clan, played
an active role in shaping society, with one of their key roles
being the protection and control of the manors of their lords.
In particular, Yoshisada Nitta, who toppled the Kamakura shogunate,
is famous for being included in the military epic of Taiheiki.
With the advent of the Warring States Period, dominant clans such
as the Uesugi clan, the Takeda clan and the Hojo clan engaged
in territory disputes and a century of conflict and strife ensued.
Modern
Times
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Tomioka Silk Mill
(The first state-owned silk-spinning mill
in Japan)
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When the Tokugawa shogunate finally succeeded in reunifying
the entire nation, it saw the Kozuke District (Gunma), located
in the northern Kanto area, as being strategically important.
Due to this, the shogunate refused to delegate command to the
large, estate-owning feudal lords for fear of losing control.
The Kozuke district was also a transportation hub for the region.
Many main roads such as the Nakasendo Highway, the Mikuni Highway
and the Nikko-Reiheishi Highway were developed, barrier stations
set up, and post stations thrived considerably.
With regards to industry, the sericulture and silk textile industry
developed, which set the stage for the rise of business tycoons
such as Jubei Nakaiya, who entrepreneured raw silk trading in
Yokohama in the twilight years of the Edo era.
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Gunma Prefectural
Government Office building
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Contemporary
Times
The title of 'Gunma Prefecture' was officially used for the
first time in 1871. Its present-day form was roughly formed in
1876, with Maebashi designated as the prefectural capital. The
area's main industry focused around sericulture and silk reeling
and spinning which, along with the development of a regional transportation
network, gained momentum toward modernization.
In recent times, high-speed transportation networks in particular
have dramatically improved. In 1972 the Tohoku Expressway, whose
starting point is located in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, was
extended to Tatebayashi interchange. And in 1980, the Kan-etsu
Expressway, whose starting point is Nerima, Tokyo, was extended
to Maebashi interchange and subsequently fully opened to traffic
in 1985.
In 1982 the Joh-etsu Shinkansen line began operating and was extended
to Tokyo station. The Joh-shin-etsu Expressway, opened to traffic
in 1996, has been playing an important role in attracting tourists
not only from the Tokyo metropolitan area but also from areas
along the Sea of Japan, Nagano Prefecture and the Chukyo area.
Currently, the Kita-Kanto expressway, which is to run through
the three prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi and Ibaraki, is under
construction.
Gunma's population has steadily been increasing from about 500,000
in the early years of the Meiji period to about 1 million in 1912,
then to 2 million in October, 1993.
In 1999, a 33 storey Prefectural Government Office building was
constructed, and has become a symbol of the way the government
is working together with its citizens in order to make Gunma Prefecture
an even better place to live in the future.
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