Former provinces of Hokkaido
In 1869, the island of Hokkaido, Japan was divided into 11 provinces and 86 districts. The majority of Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government between 1870 and 1876.[1]
The Hokkaido provinces were dissolved in 1882, and replaced with Hakodate Prefecture, Sapporo Prefecture and Nemuro Prefecture. In 1886, the three prefectures were replaced with Hokkaidō-chō (
List of provinces[edit]
The former provinces of Hokkaido are listed below with their districts.
Oshima Province[edit]
Oshima Province (
- Kameda (
亀田 郡 , -gun) - Kayabe (
茅部 郡 ) - Kamiiso (
上磯 郡 ) - Fukushima (
福島 郡 ) – merged with Tsugaru District in 1881 to create Matsumae District - Tsugaru (
津軽 郡 ) – merged with Fukushima District in 1881 to create Matsumae District - Hiyama (
檜山 郡 ) - Nishi (
爾志 郡 )
Shiribeshi Province[edit]
Shiribeshi Province (
- Kudō (
久遠 郡 ) - Okushiri (
奥尻 郡 ) - Futoru (
太櫓 郡 ) – dissolved on April 1, 1955 when Futoru Village merged with Tōsetana Town (from Setana District) to create Kitahiyama Town - Setana (
瀬棚 郡 ) - Shimamake (
島牧 郡 ) - Suttsu (
寿都 郡 ) - Utasutsu (
歌棄 郡 ) – dissolved on January 15, 1955 when Utasutsu Village was incorporated into Suttsu Town (in Suttsu District); Neppu Village was merged with Suttsu District's Kuromatsunai Village and part of Tarukishi Village to create Sanwa Village (now Kuromatsunai Town) - Isoya (
磯 屋 郡 , later respelled磯谷 郡 ) - Iwanai (
岩内 郡 ) - Furuu (
古宇 郡 ) - Shakotan (
積丹 郡 ) - Bikuni (
美国 郡 ) – dissolved September 30, 1956 when Bikuni Town was incorporated into Shakotan Town, Shakotan District. - Furubira (
古平 郡 ) - Yoichi (
余市 郡 ) - Oshiyoro (
忍路 郡 ) – dissolved on April 1, 1958 when Shioya? Village was incorporated into Otaru City - Takashima (
高島 郡 ) – dissolved on September 1, 1940 when Takashima Town was incorporated into Otaru - Otaru (
小樽 郡 ) – dissolved on September 1, 1940 when Asato? Village was incorporated into Otaru
Iburi Province[edit]
Iburi Province (
- Yamakoshi (
山越 郡 ) - Abuta District (
虻田 郡 ) - Usu (
有珠 郡 ) - Muroran (
室蘭 郡 ) – dissolved on February 1, 1918 when four towns and villages merged to create Muroran-ku - Yoribetsu (
幌別 郡 ) – dissolved on August 1, 1970 when Noboribetsu Town became Noboribetsu City - Shiraoi (
白老 郡 ) - Yūfutsu (
勇払 郡 ) - Chitose (
千歳 郡 ) – dissolved on November 11, 1970 when Eniwa Town became a city
Ishikari Province[edit]
Ishikari Province (
- Ishikari (
石狩 郡 ) - Sapporo (
札幌 郡 ) – dissolved on September 1, 1996 when Hiroshima Town became Kitahiroshima City - Yūbari (
夕張 郡 ) - Kabato (
樺戸 郡 ) - Sorachi (
空知 郡 ) - Uryū (
雨竜 郡 ) - Kamikawa (
上川 郡 ) - Atsuta (
厚田 郡 ) - Hamamasu (
浜益 郡 )
Teshio Province[edit]
Teshio Province (
Kitami Province[edit]
Kitami Province (
- Sōya (
宗谷 郡 ) - Rishiri (
利尻 郡 ) - Rebun (
礼文 郡 ) - Esashi (
枝幸 郡 ) - Monbetsu (
紋別 郡 ) - Tokoro (
常呂 郡 ) - Abashiri (
網走 郡 ) - Shari (
斜里 郡 )
Hidaka Province[edit]
Hidaka Province (
Tokachi Province[edit]
Tokachi Province (
- Hiroo (
広尾 郡 ) - Tōbui (
当 縁 郡 ) – dissolved on April 1, 1906 when 3 villages merged into Moyori Village (now Hiroo Town) in Hiroo District and two villages merged with Ōtsu Village in Tokachi District - Kamikawa (
上川 郡 ) - Nakagawa (
中川 郡 ) - Katō (
河東 郡 ) - Kasai (
河西 郡 ) - Tokachi (
十勝 郡 )
Kushiro Province[edit]
Kushiro Province (
Nemuro Province[edit]
Nemuro Province (
- Hanasaki (
花咲 郡 ) – dissolved on April 1, 1959 when Habomai Village was merged into Nemuro City; originally included Shikotan District - Nemuro (
根室 郡 ) – dissolved on August 1, 1957 when Nemuro Town absorbed Wada Village to create Nemuro City - Notsuke (
野付 郡 ) - Shibetsu (
標津 郡 ) - Menashi (
目梨 郡 )
Chishima Province[edit]
Chishima Province (
- Kunashiri (
国後 郡 ) – occupied and administered by Russia (see Kuril Islands dispute) - Etorofu (
択捉 郡 ) – occupied and administered by Russia - Furebetsu (
振別 郡 ) – dissolved on April, 1923 when its villages merged with several villages in Shana and Etorofu Districts to create the village of Rubetsu (in Etorofu) - Shana (
紗那 郡 ) – occupied and administered by Russia - Shibetoro (
蘂 取 郡 ) – occupied and administered by Russia - Shikotan (
色丹 郡 ) – split off from Hanasaki District in 1885; currently occupied and administered by Russia - Uruppu (
得 撫 郡 ) – acquired in Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875); ceded in San Francisco Treaty - Shimushiru (
新知 郡 ) – acquired in Treaty of Saint Petersburg; ceded in San Francisco Treaty - Shumushu (
占 守 郡 ) – acquired in Treaty of Saint Petersburg; ceded in San Francisco Treaty
Karafuto[edit]
Karafuto Region was the area of Sakhalin south of the border established by the 1875 Treaty of Saint Petersburg between Japan and Russia.[3] After the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth, Karafuto was administered from Toyohara in Karafuto Prefecture.
Notes[edit]
- ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Satow, Ernest. (1882). "The Geography of Japan" in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vols. 1–2, p. 33, at Google Books
- ^ Nussbaum, "Karafuto-Chishima Kōkan Jōyaku" at p. 482, p. 482, at Google Books
References[edit]
- Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128