The Shinano Province reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Shinano Province

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Shinano (信濃国; -no kuni) is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano prefecture. Its abbreviation is Shinshu (信州 Shinshū).

Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchu, Hida, Kai, Kozuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Totomi provinces.

In 1871 with the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures (Haihan Chiken) after the Meiji Restoration, Shinano province was split into Nagano and Chikuma prefectures. They were then combined together again in 1876 to form present day Nagano prefecture.