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.
The ancient capital was located near modern Matsumoto, which became an important city of the province. Shinano, due to its large size, was often split among several fiefs in the Sengoku period, and several other castle towns developed, including Komoro, Ina, and Ueda. Shinano was one of the major centers of Takeda Shingen's power during his wars with Uesugi Kenshin and others.
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.
In World War II, the Japanese aircraft carrier Shinano was named after this province.
