Hokkaido, Japan Genealogy

Guide to Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan ancestry, family history and genealogy parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records. China Online Genealogy Records Ask the Community

Jurisdictions
Japan is divided into a number of areas called 'Prefectures' (abbreviated 'Pref.'). These are analogous to states or provinces in other countries. They were created after the Meiji Restoration (1868) by consolidating feudal domains. Some include a city by the same name within their boundaries.

Cities, Towns, and Villages
Within each prefecture is a number of cities, towns and villages, The larger cities are very populous, while many towns and villages are quite small and often can border each other in a way that they are at times considered part of a larger city. Most though have some space between them.