Provinces of Japan

Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni (国, countries). The English-language term provinces is used to encompass all of these units. Each province was divided into gun earlier kōri (郡, counties).

Early ninth century to Meiji restoration

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• Kinai (Area.near.capital-Within)
• Yamashiro (then imperial seat)
• Yamato
• Kawachi
• Izumi (since 757, divided from Kawachi)
• Settsu
• Tosando (East-Mountain-Route)
• Omi
• Mino
• Hida
• Shinano
• (Musashi was transferred to Tokaido)
• Kozuke
• Shimotsuke
• Mutsu
• Dewa (since 713, divided from Echigo and Mutsu)
• Tokaido (East-Sea-Route)
• Iga
• Shima
• Ise
• Owari
• Mikawa
• Totomi
• Suruga
• Izu
• Kai
• Sagami
• Musashi (since 771, transferred from Tosando)
• Awa (since 781, divided from Kazusa)
• Kazusa
• Shimo-Usa
• Hitachi
• Hokurikudo (North-Land-Route)
• Wakasa
• Echizen
• Kaga (since 757, divided from Echizen)
• Noto (since 823, divided from Etchu)
• Etchu
• Echigo
• Sado
• San'indo (Mountain-Back-Route)
• Tamba
• Tango (since 713, divided from Tamba)
• Tajima
• Inaba
• Hoki
• Izumo
• Iwami
• Oki
• San'yodo (Mountain-Front-Route)
• Harima
• Mimasaka
• Bizen
• Bitchu
• Bingo
• Aki
• Suo
• Nagato
• Nankaido (South-Sea-Route)
• Kii
• Awaji
• Awa
• Sanuki
• Iyo
• Tosa
• Saikaido (West-Sea-Route)
• Chikuzen
• Chikugo
• Buzen
• Bungo
• Hizen
• Higo
• Hyuga
• Osumi (since 713, divided from Hyuga)
• (Tane was merged into Hyuga)
• Satsuma
• Iki
• Tsushima