Tōsandō

Administrative unit of ancient Japan

Tōsandō (東山道, literally, "eastern mountain circuit" or "eastern mountain region") is a Japanese geographical term.^[1] It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it.^[2] It is part of the Gokishichidō system.^[3] It was situated along the central mountains of northern Honshu,^[4] specifically the Tōhoku region.

This term also refers to a series of roads that connected the capitals (国府, kokufu) of each of the provinces that made up the region.

The Tōsandō region encompasses eight ancient provinces.^[5]

Ōmi Province
Mino Province
Hida Province
Shinano Province
Kōzuke Province
Shimotsuke Province
Mutsu Province^[6]
Dewa Province

After 711 AD, Tōsandō was understood to include the Musashi province.^[7]

Notes

^ Deal, William E. (2005). Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan, p. 83.
^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tōsandō," Japan Encyclopedia, p. 998.
^ Nussbaum, "Goki-shichidō" at p. 255.
^ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 57., p. 57, at Google Books
^ Titsingh, p.57 n1., p. 57, at Google Books
^ After 718, Mutsu was subdivided to include Iwaki Province and Iwase Province.
^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tōsandō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 988, p. 988, at Google Books.

References

Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon (Nihon Odai Ichiran). Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691

Gokishichidō (five provinces and seven circuits)

Five provinces

Seven circuits

v t e Former provinces of Japan (List)
Kinai	Izumi Kawachi Settsu Yamashiro Yamato Yoshino 716–738
Tōkaidō	Awa Hitachi Iga Ise Izu Kai Kazusa Mikawa Musashi Owari Sagami Shima Shimōsa Suruga Tōtōmi
Tōsandō	Dewa -1869 Hida Iwaki 718–724 Iwaki 1869– Iwase 718–724 Iwashiro 1869– Kōzuke Mino Ōmi Mutsu –1869 Rikuō (or Mutsu) 1869– Rikuchū 1869– Rikuzen 1869– Shimotsuke Shinano Suwa 721–731 Ugo 1869– Uzen 1869–
Hokurikudō	Echigo Echizen Etchū Kaga Noto Sado Wakasa
San'indō	Hōki Inaba Izumo Iwami Oki Tajima Tanba Tango
San'yōdō	Aki Bingo Bitchū Bizen Harima Mimasaka Nagato Suō
Nankaidō	Awa Awaji Iyo Kii Sanuki Tosa
Saikaidō	Bungo Buzen Chikugo Chikuzen Higo Hizen Hyūga Iki Ōsumi Satsuma Tane 702–824 Tsushima
Hokkaidō 1869–	Chishima Hidaka Iburi Ishikari Kitami Kushiro Nemuro Oshima Shiribeshi Teshio Tokachi
Pre-Taihō Code provinces	Chichibu Fusa Hi Keno Kibi Koshi Kumaso Toyo Tsukushi
Source: Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books; excerpt, "Japan's former provinces were converted into prefectures by the Meiji government ... [and] grouped, according to geographic position, into the 'five provinces of the Kinai' and 'seven circuits'."