noun
small feudal domain; small han
Historical term referring to a minor feudal domain in the Edo period, typically with a lower kokudaka (rice yield) and less political influence than larger domains.
See also: 藩
江戸時代には、小藩の大名は幕府の役職に就くことが難しかった。
During the Edo period, daimyo of small domains found it difficult to obtain posts in the shogunate.