Naming Hokkaido

[TN]

Hello!

Does anyone know why Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido"? I see in countless
articles online that this was done after the Meiji government took
control of the island in 1869, but why the name? And in particular,
why the last character? It seems like "dou" as the on-yomi of "shima"
would have been a more natural choice. Sure, I'll poke around, but I
thought someone might know.

Thanks!

TN

[Don Kirkman]

It seems to me I heard somewhere that TN wrote in article

Post by TN
Does anyone know why Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido"? I see in countless
articles online that this was done after the Meiji government took
control of the island in 1869, but why the name? And in particular,
why the last character? It seems like "dou" as the on-yomi of "shima"
would have been a more natural choice. Sure, I'll poke around, but I
thought someone might know.

Much of the country was reorganized and renamed from the feudal fiefdom
names to governmental entity names. Some became naninanidou, the "dou"
seemingly somewhat comparable to "circuit" in American (and English?)
political use. Hokkaidou was the circuit/district in the northernmost
regions, "Hokkai" being almost literally "northern sea(s)."

Hokkaidou may be the last remaining "dou," though I don't know that for
a fact.

Someone will probably be along shortly to correct some of my errors.

[shuji matsuda]

Hi, Don. How are you doing?

In article <***@4ax.com>,
***@covad.net wrote:
:>Does anyone know why Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido"?
http://www.pref.hokkaido.jp/soumu/sm-monjy/d/faq02.html

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$B$G!"!V2\0PCO!J$($>$A(B)$B<+:#!J$$$^$h$j(B)$BKL3$F;%HHocJ!J$7$g$&$5$l(B)$B==0l%v9q%KJ,3d(B
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The notice on Aug 15, 1969 says: From now on, Ezochi shall be renamed
as Hokkaido, and divided into 11 counties as written elsewhere.

There is no why, though.

:> It seems like "dou" as the on-yomi of "shima"
:>would have been a more natural choice.
:
:Much of the country was reorganized and renamed from the feudal fiefdom
:names to governmental entity names. Some became naninanidou, the "dou"
:seemingly somewhat comparable to "circuit" in American (and English?)
:political use. Hokkaidou was the circuit/district in the northernmost
:regions, "Hokkai" being almost literally "northern sea(s)."

This is correct. Besides, "dou" is written as $BF;(B (michi) not $BEg(B (shima).


:Hokkaidou may be the last remaining "dou," though I don't know that for
:a fact.

No.
As a name of regions, $BEl3$F;!";3M[F;!"(Betc still remains and in active use.
For example: Tokaido Shinkansen.

[Don Kirkman]

It seems to me I heard somewhere that shuji matsuda wrote in article

Post by shuji matsuda
Hi, Don. How are you doing?
:>Does anyone know why Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido"?
http://www.pref.hokkaido.jp/soumu/sm-monjy/d/faq02.html
$B$G!"!V2\0PCO!J$($>$A(B)$B<+:#!J$$$^$h$j(B)$BKL3$F;%HHocJ!J$7$g$&$5$l(B)$B==0l%v9q%KJ,3d(B
The notice on Aug 15, 1969 says: From now on, Ezochi shall be renamed
as Hokkaido, and divided into 11 counties as written elsewhere.
There is no why, though.
:> It seems like "dou" as the on-yomi of "shima"
:>would have been a more natural choice.
:Much of the country was reorganized and renamed from the feudal fiefdom
:names to governmental entity names. Some became naninanidou, the "dou"
:seemingly somewhat comparable to "circuit" in American (and English?)
:political use. Hokkaidou was the circuit/district in the northernmost
:regions, "Hokkai" being almost literally "northern sea(s)."
This is correct. Besides, "dou" is written as $BF;(B (michi) not $BEg(B (shima).
:Hokkaidou may be the last remaining "dou," though I don't know that for
:a fact.
No.
As a name of regions, $BEl3$F;!";3M[F;!"(Betc still remains and in active use.
For example: Tokaido Shinkansen.

Hi, Shuji. I've been good; how about you? Hope to see more of you
around here. :-)

I was thinking of political entities when I wrote that; I do remember
the old Tokaido and similar regional names that are still commonly used.
Thanks for verifying and supplementing.

[TN]

Hmmmm... How strange. So it was more of an administrative designation.
Kind of makes you wonder what the discussion was like at the meeting
where people proposed alternative names. Or for that matter, why it
was considered important to change the name at all. Maybe someday when
I'm in Sapporo I'll chase down an archivist and see what the deal was.

Anyway, thanks!

TN

[Gilles Poitras]

Post by TN
Or for that matter, why it
was considered important to change the name at all.

I recommend a book on this topic.

Japan's Name Culture by Herbert Plutschow

Place and personal name changes are not that unusual in Japanese history.

[Don Kirkman]

It seems to me I heard somewhere that TN wrote in article

Post by TN
Hmmmm... How strange. So it was more of an administrative designation.
Kind of makes you wonder what the discussion was like at the meeting
where people proposed alternative names. Or for that matter, why it
was considered important to change the name at all. Maybe someday when
I'm in Sapporo I'll chase down an archivist and see what the deal was.

My supposition is that because the country was moving from feudalism
where clans and chieftains controlled local areas to a Western style
national government the Meiji leaders felt it was important to change to
nation-wide names. For instance, the two "provinces" of Shimousa and
Kazusa have been Chiba Prefecture since Meiji times. The Satsuma
region, which provided much of the resources and knowhow for the
Imperial Navy in Meiji times, is part of Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu.

[Thomson & Thompson]

Post by shuji matsuda
The notice on Aug 15, 1969 says: From now on, Ezochi shall be renamed
as Hokkaido, and divided into 11 counties as written elsewhere.

Can't read japanese but should it not be 1869?

The old western maps (late 18th century) of Japan often refer to Hokkaido as
Jesso (not Yezo).

It's Laperouse (for the gaijins) who established:

a. that Sakhalin and Hokkaido were not joined
b. that Sakhalin was indeed an island.

The Russians out of spite I suppose insist on calling the strait between
Sakhalin and Hokkaido Laperouse Strait as do indeed also most western maps,
even contemporary ones.

Laperouse consistently refers to Hokkaido as Jesso and was in fact the first
westerner to set foot on that island.

[Prophet of the Way]

Post by TN
Does anyone know why Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido"? I see in countless
articles online that this was done after the Meiji government took
control of the island in 1869, but why the name? And in particular,
why the last character? It seems like "dou" as the on-yomi of "shima"
would have been a more natural choice. Sure, I'll poke around, but I
thought someone might know.

The 'Dou' has two meanings: "administrative district" and "road". In the former
sense, the term was used by the Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties of China. The
term is in use in modern Korea.
Japanese text in the page:

http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/yokohama/tokaido/02_tokaido/04_qa/index1/a0101.htm

This map shows the 'kuni' (states) and 'dou' (regions). Public roads (also
'dou') connected the states. Each highway was named by the region traversed.
(Click map to enlarge.)