Harima (播磨国; -no kuni) or Banshu (播州 banshū) was a province of Japan in the part of Honshu that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyogo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tamba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji.
During the Edo period of Japanese history, the Ako han (fief) was part of Harima. The Forty-seven Ronin were samurai of the Ako han.
Last updated: 08-27-2005 00:45:00