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.
Map of Japan, 1855 – The major Sengoku period feudal domains between 1564 and 1573.
A Japanese/Cyrillic 1789 map of Japan showing provincial borders and the castle towns of han and major shogunate castles/cities
Map of Japan, 1855, with provinces .
Map of Japan, 1871, with 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]
Mutsu Province (Present-day Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures)
Hirosaki (1590-1871) [4] – Located in modern-day Aomori Prefecture
Kuroishi (1809-1871) [4] – Branch of Hirosaki han, based in modern-day Kuroishi, Aomori
Hachinohe (1664-1871) [4] – Branch of Morioka han
Kunohe (unknown dates) – Branch of Morioka Domain , corresponded to modern Kunohe District, Iwate
Morioka (de facto: 1592-1871/de jure: 1599-1871) – Located in modern-day Akita , Aomori , and Iwate Prefectures , originally consisted of 10 districts – in modern Iwate: Iwate , Hienuki , Waga , Shiwa , Kunohe , Ninohe , and Hei (now split into Kamihei and Shimohei ); in modern Aomori: Sannohe and Kita (now divided into Kamikita and Shimokita districts); in modern Akita: Kazuno
Kōri (dates unknown) – Based in modern-day Koori town, Date District , Fukushima
Aizu (de facto: 1384-1871/ De jure:1601-1871) [5] – Based in modern-day Aizuwakamatsu , Fukushima Prefecture ; controlled by the Hoshina (Matsudaira) family.
Ichinoseki (1681-1871) – Branch of Sendai han , based in modern-day Ichinoseki, Iwate ; held by the Tamura clan , a branch family of the Date clan
Iwakitaira (1602-1871) – Based in modern-day Iwaki, Fukushima . Held by the Torii family briefly from 1606–1622, held by the Andō clan from mid-18th century to 1868.
Miharu (de facto: 1504-1590,1627-1971/de jure: 1627-1871) – Held by the Kato , Matsushita , and Akita families.
Moriyama (1700-1871) – Held by the Mito-Matsudaira clan, a branch of the Tokugawa 。
Sendai (1600-1868) [6] – Based in modern-day Sendai, Miyagi ; held by the Date clan .
Shimotedo (dates unknown) – Based in modern-day Tsukidate town, Date District , Fukushima . Held by the Tachibana clan .
Nakamura (1602-1871) – Also known as the Sōma-Nakamura Domain. Based in modern-day Sōma, Fukushima ; held by the Sōma clan .
Yunagaya (1670-1871)
Izumi (1634-1871)
Dewa Province (Present-day Yamagata and Akita Prefectures)
Hitachi Province (Present-day Central Ibaraki Prefecture)
Shimotsuke Province (Present-day Tochigi Prefecture)
Kōzuke Province (Present-day Gunma Prefecture)
Shimōsa Province (Present-day Northern Chiba, Southeastern Ibaraki and West portion of the Edogawa River in Saitama Prefectures)
Kazusa Province (Present-day Central Chiba Prefecture)
Awa Province (Present-day Southern Chiba Prefecture)
Musashi Province (Present-day Tokyo, Saitama, Northern Kanagawa and Western Chiba Prefectures)
Sagami Province (Present-day Southwestern Kanagawa Prefecture)
Echigo Province (Present-day Niigita Prefecture)
Shinano Province (Present-day Nagano Prefecture)
Kai Province (Present-day Yamanashi Prefecture)
Kōfu (1603-1871) [9]
Yamura (1709-1724)
Etchū Province (Present-day Toyama Prefecture)
Kaga Province (Present-day Southern Ishikawa Prefecture)
Echizen Province (Present-day Northern Fukui Prefecture)
Wakasa Province (Present-day Southern Fukui Prefecture)
Suruga Province (Present-day Central Shizuoka Prefecture around Shizuoka City)
Tōtōmi Province (Present-day Western Shizuoka Prefecture)
Mikawa Province (Present-day Eastern Aichi Prefecture around Toyohashi)
Owari Province (Present-day Western Aichi Prefecture around Nagoya)
Owari (1610-1871) [6]
Inuyama (1617-1871)
Ogawa (1601-1606)
Owari Kuroda (dates unknown)
Kiyosu (1600-1610)
Hida Province (Present-day Northern Gifu Prefecture)
Mino Province (Present-day Southern Gifu Prefecture)
Ise Province (Present-day Central Mie Prefecture)
Shima Province (Present-day Eastern Mie Prefecture)
Toba (1597-1680/1691-1871)
Ōmi Province (Present-day Shiga Prefecture)
Yamashiro Province (Present-day Southern Kyoto Prefecture)
Yamato Province (Present-day Nara Prefecture)
Yagyū (1636-1869)
Kōriyama (1615-1871)
Koizumi (1600-1871)
Gose (1620-1629)
Yanagimoto (1615-1871)
Kaiju-Shibamura (1615-1871)
Uda-Matsuyama (1600-1695)
Kujira (1863-1871)
Tatsuta (1601-1655)
Takatori (1640-1871)
Tawaramoto (1583-1871)
Yamato-Shinjo (1600–1863)
Kii Province (Present-day Wakayama and Southern Mie Prefecture)
Izumi Province (Present-day Southern Osaka Prefecture)
Kawachi Province (Present-day Eastern Osaka Prefecture)
Settsu Province (Present-day Eastern Hyogo and Northern Osaka Prefectures)
Tanba Province (Present-day Northeastern Hyogo and Central Kyoto Prefecture)
Tango Province (Present-day Northern Kyoto Prefecture)
Tanabe (1600-1871)
Miyazu (1600-1666/1669-1871)
Mineyama (1620–1668)
Murayama (1601-1871)
Harima Province (Present-day Southern Hyogo Prefecture)
Tajima Province (Present-day Northern Hyogo Prefecture)
Awaji Province (Present-day City of Hyogo Prefecture)
Inaba Province (Present-day Eastern Tottori Prefecture)
Hōki Province (Present-day Western Tottori Prefecture)
Yonago (1600-1617)
Kurayoshi (1614-1622)
Kurosaka (1611-1618)
Yabase (1610-1616)
Izumo Province (Present-day Eastern Shimane Prefecture)
Hirose (1666-1868)
Mori (1677-1871)
Matsue (1600-1871)
Matsueshinden (1701-1704)
Iwami Province (Present-day Western Shimane Prefecture)
Bizen Province (Present-day Southwestern Okayama Prefecture)
Mimasaka Province (Present-day Northeastern Okayama Prefecture)
Tsuyama (1603-1871)
Tsuyamashinden (1676-1697)
Mimasaka-Katsuyama (1764-1871)
Bitchū Province (Present-day Western Okayama Prefecture)
Niwase (1600-1679/16831683/1693-1697/1699-1871)
Ashimori (1601-1871)
Ikusaka (1672 - 1871)
Asao (1603-1871)
Okada (1615-1871)
Kamogata (1672-1868)
Bitchu-Matsuyama (1600-1871)
Niimi (1697-1871)
Nariwa (1639-1868)
Nishiebara (dates unknown)
Bingo Province (Present-day Eastern Hiroshima Prefecture)
Fukuyama (1619-1698/1700-1871)
Mihara (1582-1608/1619-1871)
Miyoshi (1632-1720)
Aki Province (Present-day Western Hiroshima Prefecture)
Suō Province (Present-day Eastern Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Nagato Province (Present-day Western Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Awa Province (Present-day Tokushima Prefecture)
Sanuki Province (Present-day Kagawa Prefecture)
Iyo Province (Present-day Ehime Prefecture)
Saijō (1636-1665/1670-1871)
Komatsu (1636-1871)
Imabari (1600-1608/1635-1871)
Iyo-Matsuyama (1600-1871)
Ozu (1608-1871)
Niiya (1623-1868)
Iyoyoshida (1657-1871)
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
Tomida (dates unknown)
Matsuyamashinden (1720-1765)
Tosa Province (Present-day Kochi Prefecture)
Tosa (1601-1871) [16]
Tosashinden (1780-1871)
Chikuzen Province (Present-day Northwestern Fukuoka Prefecture)
Chikugo Province (Present-day Southern Fukuoka Prefecture)
Buzen Province (Present-day Northeastern Fukuoka and Northwestern Oita Prefecture)
Bungo Province (Present-day Central Oita Prefecture)
Kitsuki (de facto: 1394-1871/de jure: 1632-1871)
Hiji (1600-1871)
Mori (1601-1871)
Funai (1601-1871)
Usuki (1600-1871)
Saeki (1601-1871)
Oka (1594-1871)
Hizen Province (Present-day Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures)
Tsushima Province (Present-day City of Nagasaki Prefecture)
Higo Province (Present-day Kumamoto Prefecture)
Hyūga Province (Present-day Miyazaki Prefecture)
Satsuma Province and Ōsumi Province (Present-day merged as Kagoshima Prefecture)
Satsuma (De Facto :1196-1871/ De jure:1602-1871)[6]
Ryūkyū (De Facto :1609-1879 / De jure:1872-1879) (Present-day Okinawa Prefecture)[17]
Map of Japan , 1789 -- the Han system affected cartography