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

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

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

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

Hidaka Province (日高国, Hideka-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Hidaka Subprefecture

Iburi

Iburi Province (胆振国, Iburi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Iburi Subprefecture.

Ishikari

Ishikari Province (石狩国, Ishikari-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Ishikari Subprefecture.

Kitami

Kitami Province (北見国, Kitami no kuni)[6] was in the area of Sōya Subprefecture and Abashiri Subprefecture.

Kushiro

Kushiro Province (釧路国, Kushiro-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Kushiro Subprefecture and part of Abashiri Subprefecture.

Nemuro

Nemuro Province (根室国, Nemuro-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the mainland portion of Nemuro Subprefecture.

Oshima

Oshima Province (渡島国, Oshima-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the southern part of Oshima Subprefecture and Hiyama Subprefecture.

Shiribeshi

Shiribeshi Province (後志国, Shiribeshi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of the southern part of Shiribeshi Subprefecture,

Teshio

Teshio Province (天塩国, Teshio-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Rumoi Subprefecture and the northern half of Kamikawa Subprefecture.

Tokachi

Tokachi Province (十勝国, Tokachi-no kuni)[6] was in the area of Tokachi Subprefecture.

References
  1. Great Britain Parliament. (1887). House of Commons Papers, Vol. 101, p. 77.
  2. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780.
  3. Great Britain Parliament, p. 78.
  4. Hokkaidō Teikoku Daigaku. (1927). The Semi-Centennial of the Hokkaido Imperial University, Japan, 1876-1926, pp. 42, 47.
  5. Travel-around-Japan.com, "Former Hokkaido Government office building"; retrieved 2012-2-14.
  6. Satow, Ernest. (1882). "The Geography of Japan" in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vols. 1-2, p. 33.



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