An administrative district, Fuken (prefecture) was started when Fu-han-ken sanchisei (fu-han-ken tripartite governance system) was established in 1868; and due to Haihan-chiken (abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures) established in 1871, the system with 3 fu and 302 ken were established, followed by the system with 3 fu and 72 ken; then it was unified into 3 fu and 43 ken in 1889.
行政区画としての府県は1868年（慶応4年：明治元年）の府藩県三治制に始まり、1871年（明治4年）の廃藩置県により3府302県が置かれ、3府72県を経て、1889年（明治22年）までに3府43県に統合された。