Abolition of the Han system

Occurring in 1871, the abolition of the han system and establishment of the prefecture system (廃藩置県, haihan-chiken; hai abolish + han + chi set down + ken prefecture) was an act to replace the traditional han system and introduce new local government. "Han system" is also translated as "feudal clan system" or "daimyo system."

In an attempt to wipe out feudalism in Japan, the new Meiji government, which replaced the Tokugawa shogunate, abolished hundreds of feudal domains or han. In their place it established a new local government scheme based on geographically defined prefectures. This system is still in effect today, although the number of prefectures, and their boundaries, have changed. It brought the shogunate and domain system or bakuhan taisei to a formal end, though did not remove it completely.