Shichido (七道, Seven Circuits) List of provinces of ancient Japan

1 shichido (七道, 7 circuits)

1.1 tōkaidō (東海道, east sea circuit)
1.2 tōsandō (東山道, east mountain circuit)
1.3 hokurikudō (北陸道, north land circuit)
1.4 san indō (山陰道, shade mountain circuit)
1.5 san yōdō (山陽道, shine mountain circuit)
1.6 nankaidō (南海道, south sea circuit)
1.7 saikaidō (西海道, west sea circuit)

shichido (七道, 7 circuits)
tōkaidō (東海道, east sea circuit)

iga (ishū) (伊賀国 (伊州)) - separated ise province in 680.
ise (seishū) (伊勢国 (勢州))
shima (shishū) (志摩国 (志州)) - separated ise province @ beginning of 8th century.
owari (bishū) (尾張国 (尾州))
mikawa (sanshū) (三河国 (三州))
tōtōmi (enshū) (遠江国 (遠州))
suruga (sunshū) (駿河国 (駿州))
izu (zushū) (伊豆国 (豆州)) - separated suruga province in 680.
kai (kōshū) (甲斐国 (甲州))
sagami (sōshū) (相模国 (相州))
musashi (bushū) (武蔵国 (武州)) - transferred tōsandō tōkaidō in 771
awa (bōshū, anshū) (安房国 (房州, 安州)) - divided kazusa province in 718. although re-joined kazusa province in 741, separated kazusa province again in 781.
kazusa (sōshū) (上総国 (総州)) - divided fusa province (総国) in 7th century.
shimōsa (sōshū) (下総国 (総州)) - divided fusa province in 7th century.
hitachi (jōshū) (常陸国 (常州))

tōsandō (東山道, east mountain circuit)

Ōmi (gōshū) (近江国 (江州))
mino (nōshū) (美濃国 (濃州))
hida (hishū) (飛騨国 (飛州))
shinano (shinshū) (信濃国 (信州))

from 721 731

suwa (諏訪国)
shinano (信濃国)




kōzuke (jōshū) (上野国 (上州)) - divided keno province (毛野国) during 4th century.
shimotsuke (yashū) (下野国 (野州)) - divided keno province during 4th century.
dewa (ushū) (出羽国 (羽州)) - broke dewa district in echigo province , create dewa province in 712. on october of same year, mogami , okitama districts in mutsu province merged dewa province.

since 1868 breakup

uzen (ushū) (羽前国 (羽州))
ugo (ushū) (羽後国 (羽州))




mutsu (Ōshū, rikushū) (陸奥国 (奥州, 陸州)) - split off hitachi province in 7th century.

718 several years

iwaki (石城国)
iwase (石背国)
mutsu (陸奥国)


since 1868 breakup

iwashiro (ganshū) (岩代国 (岩州))
iwaki (banshū) (磐城国 (磐州))
rikuchū (rikushū) (陸中国 (陸州))
rikuzen (rikushū) (陸前国 (陸州))
mutsu (陸奥国)





hokurikudō (北陸道, north land circuit)

wakasa (jakushū) (若狭国 (若州))
echizen (esshū) (越前国 (越州)) - broke off koshi province (越国) during end of 7th century.
kaga (kashū) (加賀国 (加州)) - divided echizen province in 823.
noto (nōshū) (能登国 (能州)) - divided echizen province in 718. although occupied etchu province in 741, divided etchu province in 757.
etchū (esshū) (越中国 (越州)) - broke off koshi province during end of 7th century.
echigo (esshū) (越後国 (越州)) - broke off koshi province during end of 7th century.
sado (sashū, toshū) (佐渡国 (佐州, 渡州)) - although occupied echigo in 743, divided echigo in 752.

san indō (山陰道, shade mountain circuit)

tanba (tanshū) (丹波国 (丹州))
tango (tanshū) (丹後国 (丹州)) - divided tamba in 713.
tajima (tanshū) (但馬国 (但州))
inaba (inshū) (因幡国 (因州))
hōki (hakushū) (伯耆国 (伯州))
izumo (unshū) (出雲国 (雲州))
iwami (sekishū) (石見国 (石州))
oki (onshū, inshū) (隠岐国 (隠州))

san yōdō (山陽道, shine mountain circuit)

harima (banshū) (播磨国 (播州))
mimasaka (sakushū) (美作国 (作州)) - divided bizen province in 713.
bizen (bishū) (備前国 (備州)) - broke off kibi (吉備国) during 2nd half of 7th century.
bitchū (bishū) (備中国 (備州)) - broke off kibi province during 2nd half of 7th century.
bingo (bishū) (備後国 (備州)) - broke off kibi province during 2nd half of 7th century.
aki (geishū) (安芸国 (芸州))
suō (bōshū) (周防国 (防州))
nagato (chōshū) (長門国 (長州))

nankaidō (南海道, south sea circuit)

equivalent shikoku , surroundings, nearby area of honshu.

kii (kishū) (紀伊国 (紀州))
awaji (tanshū) (淡路国 (淡州))
awa (ashū) (阿波国 (阿州))
sanuki (sanshū) (讃岐国 (讃州))
iyo (yoshū) (伊予国 (予州))
tosa (doshū) (土佐国 (土州))

saikaidō (西海道, west sea circuit)

equivalent kyushu , surroundings.

buzen (hōshū) (豊前国 (豊州)) - broke off toyo province (豊国) @ end of 7th century.
bungo (hōshū) (豊後国 (豊州)) - broke off toyo province @ end of 7th century.
chikuzen (chikushū) (筑前国 (筑州)) - broke off tsukushi province (筑紫国) until end of 7th century.
chikugo (chikushū) (筑後国 (筑州)) - broke off tsukushi province until end of 7th century.
hizen (hishū) (肥前国 (肥州)) - broke off hi province (火国) until end of 7th century.
higo (hishū) (肥後国 (肥州)) - broke off hi province until end of 7th century.
hyūga (nisshū, kōshū) (日向国 (日州, 向州)) - renamed kumaso province (熊曾国) during 4th 7th century.
Ōsumi (gūshū) (大隈国 (隈州)) - divided hyūga province in 713.

from 702 824

Ōsumi (大隈国)
tane (多褹国)




satsuma (sasshū) (薩摩国 (薩州)) - divided hyūga province in 702.
iki (isshū) (壱岐国 (壱州)) - officially iki no shima (壱岐嶋).
tsushima (taishū) (対馬国 (対州)) - officially tsushima no shima (対馬嶋).