Old provinces of Japan



         


Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into a number of Kuni (Countries), Shima (Islands), and occasionally Gen. The English-language term provinces is used to encompass all of these units.

The provinces were originally established as both administrative units and geographic regions. In the Edo Era, however, their function as administrative units was effectively and gradually supplanted by the territories known as Han.

At the Meiji restoration, the Han were legitimized as administrative units but quickly replaced by Fu (urban prefectures) and Ken (rural prefectures). Provinces as part of the address system, meanwhile, were not abolished but, on the contrary, augumented. As of 1871, the number of prefectures was 304, while the number of provinces was 68, not including Hokkaido and Ryukyu Province. The boundaries between the many prefectures were not only very complicated but they did not match those of the provinces. Prefectures were gradually merged to reduce the number to 37 by 1881; a few were then divided to give a total by 1885 of 45. Adding Hokkaido and Okinawa produces the current total of 47 prefectures.

To date, no official order has been issued abolishing provinces. Provinces are nonetheless today considered obsolete. However, their names are still widely used as parts of natural feature names, company names, and brands. In the early [2000s]], the governor of Nagano Prefecture proposed the renaming of his prefecture as Shinshu (a name derived from Shinano Province).

Provinces are classified into Kinai (within the capital) and seven or eight do (routes, or circuits). Note that, however, do in this context should not be confused with modern traffic lines such as Tokaido from Tokyo to Kyoto or Kobe. Also, Hokkaido in this context should not be confused with Hokkaido Prefecture, although these two overlap geographically.

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Early eighth century

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Early ninth century to Meiji restoration

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After Meiji restoration (1868)

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Some brief periods

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Today

These province names are considered to be mainly of historical interest; however, there is no record that these names were ever officially abolished.

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See also






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