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How did the Meiji government abolish Japan’s feudal domains?

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The emperor Meiji — Meiji Restoration After the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Meiji emperor became the formal head of a new imperial government under whose reign Japan was transformed from an isolated feudal society into a modern, industrialized global power.

The Meiji government abolished Japan’s feudal domains through a calculated, two-stage process designed to centralize authority and eliminate the decentralization that had weakened the nation.1

Initial Surrender (1869): The government first persuaded the powerful daimyo of the Satsuma, Chōshū, Tosa, and Saga domains to voluntarily return their lands to the emperor. Once these influential lords set the precedent, other daimyo followed suit. During this phase, the government appointed the former lords as governors to maintain administrative continuity under imperial authority.12
Formal Abolition (1871): After securing victory against the Tokugawa shogunate, the government moved to fully dismantle the system. The governor-daimyo were summoned to Tokyo, where the government officially declared the abolition of the han (fiefs).31

Following this decree, the nearly 300 fiefs were reorganized into 72 prefectures and 3 metropolitan districts. The former daimyo were removed from their administrative roles and transitioned into a pensioned nobility, effectively ending their political autonomy and the feudal structure of Japan.12