Provincial Map of Japan in the 8th Century AD

Gokishichido (五畿七道, Gokishichido^? lit. five provinces and seven circuits) was the name for ancient administrative units organized in Japan during the Asuka Period (late 6th century–710), as part of a legal and governmental system borrowed from the Chinese. Though these units did not survive as administrative structures beyond the Muromachi Period (1336–1573), they did remain important geographical entities up until the nineteenth century. The Gokishichido consisted of five provinces in the Kinai (畿内) or capital region, plus seven "do" (道) or circuits, each of which contained provinces of its own. Image File history File linksMetadata Tosando. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Tosando. ... The Asuka period ) is the period in Japanese history occurring from AD 538–710. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... // Events End of the Asuka period, the second and last part of the Yamato period and beginning of the Nara period in Japan. ... Ritsuryo (律令) is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. ... The Muromachi period (Japanese: 室町時代, Muromachi-jidai, also known as the Muromachi era, the Muromachi bakufu, the Ashikaga era, the Ashikaga period, or the Ashikaga bakufu) is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. ... Events End of the Kemmu restoration and beginning of the Muromachi period in Japan. ... Events January - articles of Warsaw Confederation signed, sanctioning religious freedom in Poland. ... The Kansai region (関西) of Japan, also known as the Kinki region (近畿地方; Kinki-chihō), lies in the middle of Japans main island, Honshu. ... Circuits in the common law In law, a circuit is an appellate judicial district commonly seen in the court systems of many nations. ... Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni (国, countries), usually known in English as provinces. ...

The five Kinai provinces were local areas in and around the imperial capital (Heijo-kyo at Nara, then Heian-kyo at Kyoto). They were: Nara can refer to: The city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan The Nara Period of the History of Japan Nara prefecture, part of the Kansai region of central Honshu, Japan Nara is a major Manchu clan. ... This page is about the city Kyoto. ...

• Yamato (now Nara prefecture)
• Yamashiro (now the southern part of Kyoto prefecture, including the city of Kyoto)
• Kawachi (now the southeastern part of Osaka prefecture)
• Settsu (now the northern part of Osaka prefecture, including the city of Osaka, as well as parts of Hyogo prefecture)
• Izumi (now the southern part of Osaka prefecture)

The seven "do" (道) or circuits, written with the character for "road," were administrative areas stretching away from the capital region in different directions. Running through each of the seven areas was an actual road of the same name, connecting the imperial capital with all of the provincial capitals along its route. The seven "do" (道) were: Yamato (大和) is a province of Japan, which covers area of present Nara Prefecture. ... Nara Prefecture (奈良県; Nara-ken) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu Island, Japan. ... Categories: Japan geography stubs | Old provinces of Japan ... Kyōto Prefecture (京都府; Kyōto-fu) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Kawachi (河内国; -no kuni) was a province of Japan, which today composes the south-eastern part of Osaka Prefecture. ... Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 ÅŒsaka-fu) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Settsu province (摂津国, Settsu no kuni), Tsu province (津国, Tsu no kuni), or Sesshu (æ‘‚å·ž, SesshÅ«) was a province of Japan, which today comprises the eastern part of Hyogo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. ... Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 ÅŒsaka-fu) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Osaka City Hall Mayor Junichi Seki Address 〒530-8201 Osaka-shi,Kita-ku Nakanoshima 1-3-20 Phone number 06-6208-8181 Official website: Osaka City , Osaka ) is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the third-largest city in Japan, with a population of 2. ... Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県 Hyōgo-ken) is located in the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Izumi (和泉国; -no kuni) or Senshu (泉州 senshÅ«) was a province of Japan, which today composes the south-western part of Osaka Prefecture (not including the city of Osaka itself). ... Osaka Prefecture (大阪府 ÅŒsaka-fu) is part of the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ...

• Tokaido (running east along Japan's Pacific coast)
• Tosando (northeast through the Japanese Alps)
• Hokurikudo (northeast along the Sea of Japan coast)
• Sanindo (west along the Sea of Japan coast)
• Sanyodo (west along the northern side of the Seto Inland Sea)
• Nankaido (south to the Kii Peninsula and the islands of Awaji and Shikoku)
• Saikaido (the southern island, Kyushu)

The Gokishichido roads should not be confused with the Gokaido (五街道, the Edo Five Routes), which were the five major roads leading to Edo during the Edo Period (1603–1867). The Tokaido road was one of the Gokaido roads, but the others were not. Tōkaidō (東海道) (literally, East Sea Route) is the name of several things: National Route 1, which links Tokyo and Osaka; The Tokaido Main Line, which links Tokyo and Kobe; One of the Edo Five Routes, which linked Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto along the shore (see below); and An ancient... Provincial Map of Japan in the 8th Century AD Tosando was an old Japanese geographical region situated along the central mountains of Hokkaido, its name literally means Eastern Mountain Way. Tosando contained many old provinces created in the 8th Century AD by the Han system and lasted until the... The Japanese Alps is a mountain range in Japan, consisting of Hida Mountains, Kiso Mountains, and Akashi Mountains. ... The Sea of Japan (East Sea) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. ... The Sea of Japan (East Sea) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. ... The Inland Sea and its major straits with the bay of Osaka (dashed) Formally named the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海 Seto Naikai), the Inland Sea is the body of water separating Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, three of the main islands of Japan. ... The Nankaido (南海道), literally meaning southern road was both an ancient region of Japan and a ancient road which comnected provincial capital in this region. ... The Kii Peninsula is one of the largest peninsulas on the island of Honshu in Japan. ... Awaji Island (Jp. ... Shikoku (四国, four provinces) is the smallest and least populous (4,141,955 as of 2005) of the four main islands of Japan. ... Saikaido is one of the main circuits of Tokugawa Japan. ... Kyushu region, Japan Kyushu (九州 kyÅ«shÅ«) is the third largest island of Japan and most southerly and westerly of the four main islands. ... The Five Routes (五街道 Gokaidō) were the five major roads leading to and from Edo (now Tokyo) during the Tokugawa period, the most important of which was the Tokaido which linked Edo and Kyoto. ... The Edo period (Japanese: 江戸時代, Edo-jidai), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1867. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March - Samuel de Champlain, French explorer, sails to Canada March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James I of... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Some Japanese regions, such as Hokuriku, still retain their ancient Gokishichido names. Hokkaido and the Ryukyu Islands were not included in the Gokishichido because they were not colonized by the Japanese until the nineteenth century, just as the Gokishichido geographic divisions and the feudal han (藩) domains were being replaced with the modern system of prefectures. Hokuriku region (北陸地方, literally North Land) is the region along the Sea of Japan within the Chubu region, the central region of Honshu, the main island of Japan. ... For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ... Location of Ryukyu Islands Ryukyuan flag The Ryukyu Islands (琉球列島 Ryukyu-rettō, formerly spelled Lewchew or Luchu) or Nansei Islands (南西諸島 Nansei-shotō southwest islands), are an island chain stretching southwestward from the island of Kyushu in Japan. ... The Han ) were the fiefs of feudal clans of Japan that were created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and existed until their abolition in 1871, three years after the Meiji Restoration. ...

More information can be found at Wikipedia's Provinces of Japan article. Before the modern prefecture system was established, the land of Japan was divided into tens of kuni (国, countries), usually known in English as provinces. ...