Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Comparison of past and present administrative divisions of Japan

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The geography and administrative subdivisions of Japan have evolved and changed during the course of its history. These were sometimes grouped according to geographic position.

Contents

Kinai

  • Yamashiro
  • southern Kyoto
  • Yamato (northern Nara without Yoshino)
  • entire Nara
  • Yoshino (created from Yamato in 716, later rejoined back in 738)
  • southern Nara (Yoshino District + Gojō city)
  • Kawachi
  • eastern Osaka
  • Izumi (created in 716 from Kawachi, then rejoined back in 740, later re-split in 757)
  • southern/southwestern Osaka
  • Settsu
  • northeastern Hyōgo including Kōbe city
  • northern/northwestern Osaka including Osaka city

    • Tōkaidō

    The Tōkaidō' is a region; and its name literally means 'Eastern Sea Way'. The term also identifies a series of roads connecting the 15 provincial capitals of the region.

  • Iga (created in 680 from Ise)
  • western Mie (Iga and Nabari cities)
  • Ise
  • central/northern/southern Mie
  • Shima (created at the beginning of the 8th century from Ise)
  • eastern Mie (Toba and Shima cities)
  • Owari
  • western Aichi (around Nagoya)
  • Mikawa
  • eastern Aichi (around Toyohashi)
  • Tōtōmi
  • western Shizuoka (around Iwata)
  • Suruga
  • central Shizuoka (around Shizuoka city)
  • Izu (created 680 from Suruga)
  • eastern Shizuoka (Izu Peninsula)
  • Tokyo (Izu Islands)
  • Kai
  • entire Yamanashi
  • Sagami
  • southwestern Kanagawa (most)
  • Musashi (transferred in 771 from Tōsandō)
  • northeastern Kanagawa (Yokohama and Kawasaki cities)
  • entire Tokyo (most)
  • entire Saitama (most)
  • western Chiba
  • Awa (created in 718 from Kazusa, then rejoined back in 741, later re-split in 781)
  • southern Chiba
  • Kazusa (broke off from Fusa in the 7th century)
  • central Chiba
  • Shimōsa (broke off from Fusa in the 7th century)
  • northern Chiba
  • southeastern Ibaraki (around Kashima)
  • part of Saitama (west portion of the Edogawa River)
  • Hitachi
  • central/northeastern Ibaraki

    • Tōsandō

    The Tōsandō is a region which straddles the central mountains of northern Honshū. The descriptive name also refers to a series of roads connecting the provincial capitals. Tōsandō included Musashi Province after 711.

  • Ōmi
  • entire Shiga
  • Mino
  • southern Gifu
  • Hida
  • northern Gifu (around Takayama)
  • Shinano
  • entire Nagano (northern Nagano without Suwa)
  • Suwa (created in 721 from Shinano, later rejoined back in 731)
  • southern Nagano (Ina (Kamiina and Shimoina) and Suwa Districts)
  • Kōzuke (broke off from Kenu during the 4th century)
  • entire Gunma
  • Shimotsuke (broke off from Kenu during the 4th century)
  • entire Tochigi
  • Uzen (broke off from Dewa during the Meiji Restoration in 1868)
  • southeastern Yamagata (most)
  • Ugo (broke off from Dewa during the Meiji Restoration in 1868)
  • southwestern Akita (most)
  • northwestern Yamagata (Akumi District)
  • Mutsu (created in the 7th century from Hitachi)
  • entire Aomori
  • northwestern Iwate
  • Iwashiro (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu)
  • western/central Fukushima
  • Iwaki (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu)
  • eastern Fukushima
  • southwestern Miyagi (Igu, Katta and Watari Districts)
  • Rikuchū (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu)
  • northeastern Akita (Kazuno city and Kosaka town)
  • central/northeastern/southwestern Iwate (most)
  • northeastern Miyagi
  • Rikuzen (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu)
  • southeastern Iwate (Kesen District, Rikuzentakata Ōfunato and Kamaishi cities)
  • central/northwestern/southeastern Miyagi (most)

    • Hokurikudō

  • Wakasa
  • southern/western Fukui
  • Echizen (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century)
  • northern/eastern Fukui
  • Kaga (created in 823 from Echizen)
  • southern/western Ishikawa
  • Noto (created in 718 from Echizen, then occupied in 741 by Etchū, later re-split in 757 from Etchū)
  • northern/eastern Ishikawa
  • Etchū (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century)
  • entire Toyama
  • Echigo (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century)
  • entire Niigata (most)
  • Sado (occupied in 743 by Echigo, later re-split in 752)
  • Sado city, Niigata

    • San'indō

  • Tanba
  • central/northeastern Hyōgo
  • central Kyoto
  • Tango (created in 713 from Tamba)
  • northern Kyoto
  • Tajima
  • northern/northwestern Hyōgo
  • Inaba
  • eastern Tottori
  • Hōki
  • western Tottori
  • Izumo
  • eastern Shimane
  • Iwami
  • western Shimane
  • Oki
  • Oki District, Shimane

    • San'yōdō

  • Harima
  • southern/southwestern Hyōgo
  • Mimasaka (created in 713 from Bizen)
  • northeastern Okayama
  • Bizen (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century)
  • southeastern Okayama
  • Bitchū (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century)
  • western Okayama
  • Bingo (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century)
  • eastern Hiroshima
  • Aki
  • western Hiroshima
  • Suō
  • eastern Yamaguchi
  • Nagato
  • western Yamaguchi

    • Nankaidō

  • Kii
  • entire Wakayama
  • southern Mie
  • Awaji
  • Awaji city, Hyōgo
  • Awa
  • entire Tokushima
  • Sanuki
  • entire Kagawa
  • Iyo
  • entire Ehime
  • Tosa
  • entire Kōchi

    • Saikaidō

  • Buzen (broke off from Toyo at the end of the 7th century)
  • northeastern Fukuoka Prefecture
  • northwestern Ōita Prefecture
  • Bungo (broke off from Toyo at the end of the 7th century)
  • central/southeastern Ōita Prefecture (most)
  • Chikuzen (broke off from Tsukushi no later than the end of the 7th century)
  • central/northwestern Fukuoka Prefecture (most)
  • Chikugo (broke off from Tsukushi no later than the end of the 7th century)
  • southern Fukuoka Prefecture
  • Hizen (broke off from Hi no later than the end of the 7th century)
  • entire Nagasaki (most)
  • entire Saga
  • Higo (broke off from Hi no later than the end of the 7th century)
  • Kumamoto
  • Hyūga
  • Miyazaki
  • Ōsumi (created in 702 from Hyūga)
  • eastern Kagoshima
  • Tane (created in 702 from Hyūga, later occupied in 824 by Ōsumi)
  • Kagoshima (Tanegashima and Yakushima Islands)
  • Satsuma　(created in 702 from Hyūga)
  • western Kagoshima
  • Iki (officially Iki-shima)
  • Iki city, Nagasaki
  • Tsushima (officially Tsushima-jima)
  • Tsushima city, Nagasaki

    • Hokkaidō

  • Oshima
  • southern Oshima Subprefecture
  • southern Hiyama Subprefecture
  • Shiribeshi
  • most of Shiribeshi Subprefecture (excluding Abuta District)
  • northern Hiyama Subprefecture
  • Iburi
  • entire Iburi Subprefecture
  • Yamakoshi District, in Oshima Subprefecture
  • Abuta District, in Shiribeshi Subprefecture
  • Chitose and Eniwa cities, in Ishikari Subprefecture
  • Shimukappu village, Kamikawa Subprefecture
  • Ishikari
  • most of Ishikari Subprefecture (excluding Chitose and Eniwa cities)
  • entire Sorachi Subprefecture
  • southern Kamikawa Subprefecture (excluding Shimukappu village)
  • Teshio
  • entire Rumoi Subprefecture
  • northern Kamikawa Subprefecture
  • Kitami
  • entire Sōya Subprefecture
  • most of Abashiri Subprefecture (excluding part of Abashiri District)
  • Hidaka
  • entire Hidaka Subprefecture
  • Tokachi
  • entire Tokachi Subprefecture
  • Kushiro
  • entire Kushiro Subprefecture
  • part of Abashiri District, in Abashiri Subprefecture
  • Nemuro
  • entire Nemuro Subprefecture
  • Chishima (the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu, later included Shikotan and the Kuril Islands)

    • References

    Comparison of past and present administrative divisions of Japan Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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