About the Miasa District

Miasa is a small district nestled in the mountains of northern Nagano Prefecture, with a population of 783 people and 379 households (as of January 1, 2025). It merged with Omachi City on January 1, 2006, becoming the Miasa District of Omachi City. Previously, this area alone constituted Miasa Village in Kitaazumi District.

　People began settling in Miasa Village approximately 8,000 years ago, during the Jomon period. Life transitioned from hunting-centered to agriculture. By the Yayoi period, cultivation of millet, foxtail millet, beans, and paddy rice began. Entering the Kofun period, alongside the development of rice farming, earthenware jars were crafted as tools for steaming or roasting rice. (From the 1992 Mima Village Administrative Handbook)

The 1875 Merger

Prior to abolishing feudal domains and establishing prefectures, the Meiji government enacted the Family Register Law in April 1871 to establish centralized local autonomy. For this administrative purpose, seven to eight villages were grouped into districts, each with its own district head (tocho).

Eventually, the ward chiefs began handling general affairs concerning the land and people beyond mere household registration duties. On April 9, 1872 (Meiji 5), the systems of village headmen (shōya) and village leaders (naoshi) were abolished. The wards, originally established for household registration purposes, effectively handled general affairs and soon assumed the role of general local administrative districts (villages). Amidst these developments, the seven former villages—Ōshio Village, Kiriaki Shinden Village, Nijū Village, Shinyō Shinden Village, Aogū Village, Chimi Village, and Takachi Village—which had formed one district (District 11, Sub-district 8), merged in Meiji 8 (1875) to form Mima Village. (From Mima Village's 100-Year History)

Village Chronicles of Meiji 9 (1876)

In Meiji 9 (1876), Chikuma Prefecture merged with Nagano Prefecture to form the new Nagano Prefecture. For the newly established prefecture, understanding the conditions throughout its territory was urgent, prompting repeated inquiries into the state of each town and village. The responses were village chronicles, detailing the village boundaries, topography, number of households, population, products, occupations, transportation, temples and shrines, scenic spots, historic sites, and other matters.