In 1869, the island of Hokkaido, Japan was divided into 11 provinces and 86 districts. The majority of Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government between 1870 and 1876. The Hokkaido provinces were dissolved in 1882, and replaced with Hakodate Prefecture, Sapporo Prefecture and Nemuro Prefecture. In 1886, the three prefectures were replaced with Hokkaidō-chō (北海道庁).

List of provinces

The former provinces of Hokkaido are listed below with their districts.

Oshima Province

Oshima Province (渡島国): Presently the southern part of modern-day Oshima and Hiyama Subprefectures. Districts included:

Shiribeshi Province

Shiribeshi Province (後志国): Modern-day Shiribeshi Subprefecture (minus Abuta) plus northern Hiyama. Districts included:

Iburi Province

Iburi Province (胆振国): Modern-day Iburi Subprefecture, Yamakoshi District of Oshima, Abuta District of Shiribeshi, the cities of Chitose and Eniwa of Ishikari, and Shimukappu Village of Kamikawa. Districts included:

Ishikari Province

Ishikari Province (石狩国): Modern-day Ishikari Subprefecture minus Chitose and Eniwa, all of Sorachi Subprefecture, and the southern half of Kamikawa Subprefecture (including Horokanai and excluding Shimukappu). Districts included:

Teshio Province

Teshio Province (天塩国): Presently all of modern-day Rumoi Subprefecture and the northern half of Kamikawa Subprefecture. Districts included:

Kitami Province

Kitami Province (北見国): Modern-day Sōya Subprefecture and Abashiri Subprefecture minus part of Abashiri District. Districts included:

Hidaka Province

Hidaka Province (日高国): Modern-day Hidaka Subprefecture. Districts included:

Tokachi Province

Tokachi Province (十勝国): Modern-day Tokachi Subprefecture. Districts included:

Kushiro Province

Kushiro Province (釧路国): Modern-day Kushiro Subprefecture and part of Abashiri Subprefecture. Districts included:

Nemuro Province

Nemuro Province (根室国): Presently the mainland portion of modern-day Nemuro Subprefecture plus Habomai Rocks and Shikotan Island. Districts included:

Chishima Province

Chishima Province (千島国): Originally the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu, later included Shikotan and the Kuril Islands. Districts included:

Karafuto

Karafuto Region was the area of Sakhalin south of the border established by the 1875 Treaty of Saint Petersburg between Japan and Russia. After the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth, Karafuto was administered from Toyohara in Karafuto Prefecture.