Former Provinces of Hokkaidō
The Former Provinces of Hokkaido were created by the Meiji period government of Japan in 1869. They lasted only until the creation of prefectures.
History[change | change source]
In 1869, the island of Hokkaidō was organized into 11 provinces.[1]
Other than the Hokkaido provinces, the majority of Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government between 1870 and 1876.[2]
The Hokkaidō provinces were dissolved in 1882. In that year, they were replaced with Hakodate Prefecture, Sapporo Prefecture and Nemuro Prefecture.[3]
In 1886, Hakodate, Sapporo and Nemuro prefectures were abolished.[3] The reform replaced with another entity called the Hokkaidō Board of Administration (北海道庁, Hokkaidō-chō).[4]
In 1947, Hokkaido Prefecture was established.[5] The old provincial boundaries are mirrored in the island's subprefectures.
List of provinces[change | change source]
Although the 19th century provinces of Hokkaidō lasted for only a short time, the subdivisions of the land of the island are very much like those which still exist.
Chishima[change | change source]
Chishima Province (千島国, Chismima-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu and the Kuril Islands.
Hidaka[change | change source]
Hidaka Province (日高国, Hideka-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Hidaka Subprefecture
Iburi[change | change source]
Iburi Province (胆振国, Iburi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Iburi Subprefecture.
Ishikari[change | change source]
Ishikari Province (石狩国, Ishikari-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Ishikari Subprefecture.
Kitami[change | change source]
Kitami Province (北見国, Kitami no kuni)[6] was in the area of Sōya Subprefecture and Abashiri Subprefecture.
Kushiro[change | change source]
Kushiro Province (釧路国, Kushiro-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Kushiro Subprefecture and part of Abashiri Subprefecture.
Nemuro[change | change source]
Nemuro Province (根室国, Nemuro-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the mainland portion of Nemuro Subprefecture.
Oshima[change | change source]
Oshima Province (渡島国, Oshima-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the southern part of Oshima Subprefecture and Hiyama Subprefecture.
Shiribeshi[change | change source]
Shiribeshi Province (後志国, Shiribeshi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the southern part of Shiribeshi Subprefecture,
Teshio[change | change source]
Teshio Province (天塩国, Teshio-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Rumoi Subprefecture and the northern half of Kamikawa Subprefecture.
Tokachi[change | change source]
Tokachi Province (十勝国, Tokachi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Tokachi Subprefecture.
Related pages[change | change source]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Great Britain Parliament. (1887). House of Commons Papers, Vol. 101, p. 77.
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Great Britain Parliament, p. 78.
- ↑ Hokkaidō Teikoku Daigaku. (1927). The Semi-Centennial of the Hokkaido Imperial University, Japan, 1876-1926, pp. 42, 47.
- ↑ Travel-around-Japan.com, "Former Hokkaido Government office building"; retrieved 2012-2-14.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 Satow, Ernest. (1882). "The Geography of Japan" in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vols. 1-2, p. 33.
