Prefectural governors were local officials appointed by the central government, and the territories of the former han areas were not "shoryo (territory)" whose ownership was approved by the shogun but "jurisdictional areas" which the governors were ordered by the central government to govern.
知藩事は中央政府から任命される地方官であり、藩の領域も藩主に支配権が安堵された「所領」ではなく、地方官である知藩事が中央政府から統治を命じられた「管轄地」とされた。