Bungo Province was a province of Japan in the area of eastern Kyūshū, corresponding to most of modern Ōita Prefecture, except what is now the cities of Nakatsu and Usa. Bungo bordered on Hyūga to the south, Higo and Chikugo to the west, and Chikuzen and Buzen to the north. Its abbreviated form was Hōshū (豊州), although it was also called Nihō (二豊). In terms of the Gokishichidō system, Bungo was one of the provinces of the Saikaidō circuit. Under the Engishiki classification system, Bungo was ranked as one of the "superior countries" (上国) in terms of importance, and one of the "far countries" (遠国) in terms of distance from the capital.

Hyūga Province was a province of Japan in the area of southeastern Kyūshū, corresponding to modern Miyazaki Prefecture Hyūga bordered on Ōsumi to the south, Higo to the west, and Bungo to the north. Its abbreviated form name was Kōshū (向州), although it was also called Nissshū (日州). In terms of the Gokishichidō system, Hyūga was one of the provinces of the Saikaidō circuit. Under the Engishiki classification system, Hyūga was ranked as one of the "middle countries" (中国) in terms of importance, and one of the "far countries" (遠国) in terms of distance from the capital.