Former Provinces of Hokkaidō

The Former Provinces of Hokkaido were created by the Meiji period government of Japan in 1869.  They lasted only until the creation of prefectures.

History
In 1869, the island of Hokkaidō was organized into 11 provinces.Great Britain Parliament. (1887). House of Commons Papers, Vol. 101, p. 77.    

Other than the Hokkaido provinces, the majority of Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government between 1870 and 1876.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780.

The Hokkaidō provinces were dissolved in 1882.  In that year, they were replaced with Hakodate Prefecture, Sapporo Prefecture and Nemuro Prefecture.Great Britain Parliament, p. 78.  

In 1886, Hakodate, Sapporo and Nemuro prefectures were abolished.  The reform replaced with another entity called the .Hokkaidō Teikoku Daigaku. (1927).  The Semi-Centennial of the Hokkaido Imperial University, Japan, 1876-1926, pp. 42, 47.  

In 1947, Hokkaido Prefecture was established.Travel-around-Japan.com,  "Former Hokkaido Government office building"; retrieved 2012-2-14.  The old provincial boundaries are mirrored in the island's subprefectures.

List of provinces
Although the 19th century provinces of Hokkaidō lasted for only a short time, the subdivisions of the land of the island are very much like those which still exist.

Chishima
 was in the area of the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu and the Kuril Islands.

Hidaka
 was in the area of Hidaka Subprefecture

Iburi
 was in the area of Iburi Subprefecture.

Ishikari
 was in the area of Ishikari Subprefecture.

Kitami
 was in the area of Sōya Subprefecture and Abashiri Subprefecture.

Kushiro
 was in the area of Kushiro Subprefecture and part of Abashiri Subprefecture. 

Nemuro
 was in the area of the mainland portion of Nemuro Subprefecture.

Oshima
Satow, Ernest. (1882). "The Geography of Japan" in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vols. 1-2, p. 33. was in the area of the southern part of Oshima Subprefecture and Hiyama Subprefecture. 

Shiribeshi
 was in the area of the southern part of Shiribeshi Subprefecture,

Teshio
 was in the area of Rumoi Subprefecture and the northern half of Kamikawa Subprefecture. 

Tokachi
 was in the area of  Tokachi Subprefecture.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan

References

Category:Former provinces of Japan
Category:Hokkaido Prefecture