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Over the course of the [[Edo period]], [[Matsumae han]] (and at times the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] directly) took over parts of the region, incorporating them into ''Wajinchi'' (lit. "the land of Japanese people") and thus shrinking the space the Japanese saw as "Ezochi" (i.e. "the land of 'barbarians'"). That remaining as "Ezochi" was consistently seen as ''iiki'' 異域, a "foreign region," outside of "Japan."<ref>By comparison, consider the terms ''takoku'' 他国 used to mean "another province" or "another domain" within Japan, and ''ikoku'' 異国 used to refer to "foreign countries" outside of Japan such as [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]] or [[Joseon|Korea]]. Luke Roberts, ''Mercantilism in a Japanese Domain: The Merchant Origins of Economic Nationalism in 18th-Century Tosa'', Cambridge University Press, 1998., pp5-6.</ref>
Over the course of the [[Edo period]], [[Matsumae han]] (and at times the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] directly) took over parts of the region, incorporating them into ''Wajinchi'' (lit. "the land of Japanese people") and thus shrinking the space the Japanese saw as "Ezochi" (i.e. "the land of 'barbarians'"). That remaining as "Ezochi" was consistently seen as ''iiki'' 異域, a "foreign region," outside of "Japan."<ref>By comparison, consider the terms ''takoku'' 他国 used to mean "another province" or "another domain" within Japan, and ''ikoku'' 異国 used to refer to "foreign countries" outside of Japan such as [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]] or [[Joseon|Korea]]. Luke Roberts, ''Mercantilism in a Japanese Domain: The Merchant Origins of Economic Nationalism in 18th-Century Tosa'', Cambridge University Press, 1998., pp5-6.</ref>
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+The [[Meiji government]] officially established Hokkaidô as a prefecture in [[1869]]/8; the term "Ezo" or "Ezochi" fell out of use shortly afterward.
==History==
==History==
===Edo Period===
===Edo Period===
During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate charged Matsumae domain with overseeing matters pertaining to Ezochi, including trade, relations with the Ainu, and defending Japanese territory (''Wajinchi'') against either Ainu violence or foreign invasion. The [[Matsumae clan]] was officially granted no territory in fief,<ref>Howell, David. "Ainu Ethnicity and the Boundaries of the Early Modern Japanese State." ''Past & Present'', No. 142 (Feb., 1994), p78.</ref> but because of this jurisdiction and authority over such a large area were nevertheless sometimes referred to as ''Ezo Dai-Ô'' (蝦夷大王, Great Kings of Ezo) or by similar terms.<ref>Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. "Creating the Frontier: Border, Identity, and History in Japan's Far North." ''East Asian History'' 7 (June 1994). p5.</ref>
During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate charged Matsumae domain with overseeing matters pertaining to Ezochi, including trade, relations with the Ainu, and defending Japanese territory (''Wajinchi'') against either Ainu violence or foreign invasion. The [[Matsumae clan]] was officially granted no territory in fief,<ref>Howell, David. "Ainu Ethnicity and the Boundaries of the Early Modern Japanese State." ''Past & Present'', No. 142 (Feb., 1994), p78.</ref> but because of this jurisdiction and authority over such a large area were nevertheless sometimes referred to as ''Ezo Dai-Ô'' (蝦夷大王, Great Kings of Ezo) or by similar terms.<ref>Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. "Creating the Frontier: Border, Identity, and History in Japan's Far North." ''East Asian History'' 7 (June 1994). p5.</ref>
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+Like Ryûkyû, China, and other parts of the outside world beyond Japan, Ezo was the subject of numerous popular publications in the Edo period, which emerged out of and contributed to popular conceptions about the region and its peoples. Scholars such as [[Arai Hakuseki]] also wrote more formal studies which remained unpublished, bringing together information from a variety of Chinese, Matsumae, shogunate, and other sources.
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+The shogunate dispatched a mission to Ezo in [[1785]] to investigate the defenses, trade activities, and commercial potential of Matsumae domain, and to assess the Russian presence and the potential threat posed by it. This mission represents an important expansion of shogunate awareness of, or familiarity with, circumstances in Ezo. In [[1799]], the shogunate then officially incorporated portions of eastern Hokkaidô and the Kuril Islands into shogunate territory, in response to Russian encroachment. At this time, the shogunate also ordered that Ainu adopt Japanese customs, seeking to strengthen the Japanese character of the territory and combat Russian influence. These assimilation policies were relaxed, and portions of the territories were returned to Matsumae domain's oversight in [[1821]] when the threat from Russia seemed to have lessened.
In [[1855]]/2, the shogunate reassigned jurisdiction and responsibility for Ezochi, dividing among [[Sendai han|Sendai]], [[Kubota han|Kubota]], [[Hirosaki han|Hirosaki]], [[Morioka han|Morioka]] and Matsumae domains what had previously been overseen by Matsumae alone.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, pp19, 36.</ref> Later that same year, in 1855/10, the shogunate permitted shogunal vassals, retainers of the various domains, and commoners to relocate to Ezo, and granted loans to those who engaged in developing (''kaitaku'', 開拓) the land.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, p133.</ref>
In [[1855]]/2, the shogunate reassigned jurisdiction and responsibility for Ezochi, dividing among [[Sendai han|Sendai]], [[Kubota han|Kubota]], [[Hirosaki han|Hirosaki]], [[Morioka han|Morioka]] and Matsumae domains what had previously been overseen by Matsumae alone.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, pp19, 36.</ref> Later that same year, in 1855/10, the shogunate permitted shogunal vassals, retainers of the various domains, and commoners to relocate to Ezo, and granted loans to those who engaged in developing (''kaitaku'', 開拓) the land.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, p133.</ref>
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==Meiji Period==
==Meiji Period==
For about six months in [[1868]]-[[1869]], a group of loyalists to the former shogunate attempted to establish an independent state, known as the [[Republic of Ezo]]. Led by [[Enomoto Takeaki]] and based at [[Goryokaku|Goryôkaku]] and [[Matsumae castle]], they fought a number of battles against the armies of the newly-established [[Meiji government|Japanese state]], which eventually defeated them and extended its rule over the region.
For about six months in [[1868]]-[[1869]], a group of loyalists to the former shogunate attempted to establish an independent state, known as the [[Republic of Ezo]]. Led by [[Enomoto Takeaki]] and based at [[Goryokaku|Goryôkaku]] and [[Matsumae castle]], they fought a number of battles against the armies of the newly-established [[Meiji government|Japanese state]], which eventually defeated them and extended its rule over the region.
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+The [[1875]] [[Treaty of St. Petersburg]] established territorial boundaries with Russia; in exchange for Japan renouncing claims to Sakhalin, Russia recognized the Kuril Islands as Japanese territory. The treaty also provided stipulations for Japanese settlers being able live as permanent residents in Russian territories (e.g. Sakhalin) and Russian settlers as permanent residents in Japanese territory.
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