List of han

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. Hokkaidō 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").