The list of han or domains in the
Tokugawa period (1603–1868) changed from time to time during the
Edo period. Han were
feudal domains that formed the effective basis of administration in Tokugawa-era
Japan. The Han are given according to their domain seat/castle town by modern region (-chihō, roughly comparable to ancient circuits, -dō) and ancient province (kuni/-shū, roughly comparable to modern prefectures, -to/-dō/-fu/-ken). Han usually comprised territories around/near the capital, but were beyond that in many cases disconnected and distributed over several provinces.
The
han system was abolished by the
Meiji government in 1871 when all remaining -han were transformed into -ken ("prefectures"). In several waves of mergers, splits and territorial transfers – the first major consolidation followed immediately in 1871/72 – the prefectures were reorganized to encompass contiguous, compact territories, no longer resembling Edo period han, but in many cases territorially identical to provinces which had remained the most important primary geographical subdivision even during feudal times.[1][2]
Matsumae (1590-1871) – Located around modern-day
Matsumae town,
Matsumae District; held by the
Matsumae clan. Only domain in
Ezo. Renamed to Tate after the restoration when the domain seat was moved from Matsumae/Fukuyama castle (in present-day Matsumae town) which had been destroyed in the Boshin war to Tate castle (in present-day
Asabu town), became Tate-ken ("Tate prefecture") in 1871 and was merged into Aomori-ken ("
Aomori Prefecture") the same year, finally in 1872, transferred to the settlement/development agency (kaitakushi), the precursor to Hokkaidō ("Hokkai circuit/territory/from 1946: prefecture").[3]
Uwajima (1608-1613/1614--1871)– It was ruled from 1608 to 1613 by the Tomita clan, then a brief
Tenryō (1613–1614), and finally by a branch of the
Date clan
The list of han or domains in the
Tokugawa period (1603–1868) changed from time to time during the
Edo period. Han were
feudal domains that formed the effective basis of administration in Tokugawa-era
Japan. The Han are given according to their domain seat/castle town by modern region (-chihō, roughly comparable to ancient circuits, -dō) and ancient province (kuni/-shū, roughly comparable to modern prefectures, -to/-dō/-fu/-ken). Han usually comprised territories around/near the capital, but were beyond that in many cases disconnected and distributed over several provinces.
The
han system was abolished by the
Meiji government in 1871 when all remaining -han were transformed into -ken ("prefectures"). In several waves of mergers, splits and territorial transfers – the first major consolidation followed immediately in 1871/72 – the prefectures were reorganized to encompass contiguous, compact territories, no longer resembling Edo period han, but in many cases territorially identical to provinces which had remained the most important primary geographical subdivision even during feudal times.[1][2]
Matsumae (1590-1871) – Located around modern-day
Matsumae town,
Matsumae District; held by the
Matsumae clan. Only domain in
Ezo. Renamed to Tate after the restoration when the domain seat was moved from Matsumae/Fukuyama castle (in present-day Matsumae town) which had been destroyed in the Boshin war to Tate castle (in present-day
Asabu town), became Tate-ken ("Tate prefecture") in 1871 and was merged into Aomori-ken ("
Aomori Prefecture") the same year, finally in 1872, transferred to the settlement/development agency (kaitakushi), the precursor to Hokkaidō ("Hokkai circuit/territory/from 1946: prefecture").[3]
Uwajima (1608-1613/1614--1871)– It was ruled from 1608 to 1613 by the Tomita clan, then a brief
Tenryō (1613–1614), and finally by a branch of the
Date clan