The geography and administrative subdivisions of Japan have evolved and changed during the course of its history. These were sometimes grouped according to geographic position.
Kinai
Yamashiro
southern Kyoto
Yamato (northern Nara without Yoshino) entire Nara Yoshino (created from Yamato in 716, later rejoined back in 738) southern Nara (Yoshino District + Gojō city) Kawachi eastern Osaka Izumi (created in 716 from Kawachi, then rejoined back in 740, later re-split in 757) southern/southwestern Osaka Settsu northeastern Hyōgo including Kōbe city northern/northwestern Osaka including Osaka city
Tōkaidō
The Tōkaidō is a region; and its name literally means 'Eastern Sea Way'. The term also identifies a series of roads connecting the 15 provincial capitals of the region. Iga (created in 680 from Ise) western Mie (Iga and Nabari cities) Ise central/northern/southern Mie Shima (created at the beginning of the 8th century from Ise) eastern Mie (Toba and Shima cities) Owari western Aichi (around Nagoya) Mikawa eastern Aichi (around Toyohashi) Tōtōmi western Shizuoka (around Iwata) Suruga central Shizuoka (around Shizuoka city) Izu (created 680 from Suruga) eastern Shizuoka (Izu Peninsula) Tokyo (Izu Islands) Kai entire Yamanashi Sagami southwestern Kanagawa (most) Musashi (transferred in 771 from Tōsandō) northeastern Kanagawa (Yokohama and Kawasaki cities) entire Tokyo (most) entire Saitama (most) western Chiba Awa (created in 718 from Kazusa, then rejoined back in 741, later re-split in 781) southern Chiba Kazusa (broke off from Fusa in the 7th century) central Chiba Shimōsa (broke off from Fusa in the 7th century) northern Chiba southeastern Ibaraki (around Kashima) part of Saitama (west portion of the Edogawa River) Hitachi central/northeastern Ibaraki
Tōsandō
The Tōsandō is a region which straddles the central mountains of northern Honshū. The descriptive name also refers to a series of roads connecting the provincial capitals. Tōsandō included Musashi Province after 711. Ōmi entire Shiga Mino southern Gifu Hida northern Gifu (around Takayama) Shinano entire Nagano (northern Nagano without Suwa) Suwa (created in 721 from Shinano, later rejoined back in 731) southern Nagano (Ina (Kamiina and Shimoina) and Suwa Districts) Kōzuke (broke off from Kenu during the 4th century) entire Gunma Shimotsuke (broke off from Kenu during the 4th century) entire Tochigi Uzen (broke off from Dewa during the Meiji Restoration in 1868) southeastern Yamagata (most) Ugo (broke off from Dewa during the Meiji Restoration in 1868) southwestern Akita (most) northwestern Yamagata (Akumi District) Mutsu (created in the 7th century from Hitachi) entire Aomori northwestern Iwate Iwashiro (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu) western/central Fukushima Iwaki (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu) eastern Fukushima southwestern Miyagi (Igu, Katta and Watari Districts) Rikuchū (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu) northeastern Akita (Kazuno city and Kosaka town) central/northeastern/southwestern Iwate (most) Rikuzen (created during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 from Mutsu) southeastern Iwate (Kesen District; and the cities of Rikuzentakata, Ōfunato and south portion of Kamaishi) entire Miyagi
Hokurikudō
Wakasa
southern/western Fukui
Echizen (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century) northern/eastern Fukui Kaga (created in 823 from Echizen) southern/western Ishikawa Noto (created in 718 from Echizen, then occupied in 741 by Etchū, later re-split in 757 from Etchū) northern/eastern Ishikawa Etchū (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century) entire Toyama Echigo (broke off from Koshi during the end of the 7th century) entire Niigata (most) Sado (occupied in 743 by Echigo, later re-split in 752) Sado city, Niigata
San'indō
Tanba
central/northeastern Hyōgo
central Kyoto
Tango (created in 713 from Tamba) northern Kyoto Tajima northern/northwestern Hyōgo Inaba eastern Tottori Hōki western Tottori Izumo eastern Shimane Iwami western Shimane Oki Oki District, Shimane
San'yōdō
Harima
southern/southwestern Hyōgo
Mimasaka (created in 713 from Bizen) northeastern Okayama Bizen (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century) southeastern Okayama Bitchū (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century) western Okayama Bingo (broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of the 7th century) eastern Hiroshima Aki western Hiroshima Suō eastern Yamaguchi Nagato western Yamaguchi