Mikuriya (a kitchen) (御厨)
Mikuriya is the honorific expression of Kuriya (a kitchen). In medieval Japan, Mikuriya indicated a manor of the Imperial family or dominant shrines, such as Ise-jingu Shrine, (a shrine estate), and this term still remains in geographic names. In the Medieval period, it often happened that Mikuriya were pillaged by samurai troops (and converted to samurai-owned estates).
Soma Mikuriya and Oba no Mikuriya are famous historically.
Geographic names that still remain today
The term "Mikuriya" remains as a geographic name in various parts of Japan, not only in the name of cities, towns, or villages, but also as the name of oaza (a larger section of a village) or koaza (a subsection of a village). Such areas exist in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and in Higashi-Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture. In addition, a station named "Mikuriya-eki Station" exists in Matsuura City, Nagasaki Prefecture.
"Mikuriya" is also used as a family name. Kei MIKURIYA, Satomi MIKURIYA, and Takashi MIKURIYA are famous examples. In fiction, Jin MIKURIYA appears in "Kannagi," manga created by Eri TAKENASHI, and (although not being intentional) also in "893 ways of becoming a detective," a comic book by Takemaru ABIKO.
In the past, there were cities, towns, and villages whose names included "Mikuriya," as in the following:
Mikuriya Machi (Town), Ashikaga Gun (County), Tochigi Prefecture (Present Ashikaga City)
Gotenba Machi, Sunto Gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (Present Gotenba City)
Mikuriya Mura (Village), Iwata Gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (Present Iwata City)
Minami-mikuriya Mura, Iwata Gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (Present Iwata City)
Mikuriya Mura, Sarashina Gun, Nagano Prefecture (Present Nagano City)
Mikuriya Mura, Aichi Gun, Aichi Prefecture (present Nagoya City)
Mikuriya Mura, Naka Kawachi Gun, Osaka Prefecture (Present Higashi Osaka City)
Mikuriya Mura, Kita Matsuura Gun, Nagasaki Prefecture (Present Matsuura City)
Sin-Mikuriya Machi, Kita Matsuura Gun, Nagasaki Prefecture (Present Matsuura City)