It was centered around Saijō jin'ya, and was ruled throughout most of its history by a cadet branch of the Kii Tokugawa clan.

Saijō Domain was dissolved in the abolition of the han system in 1871 and is now part of Ehime Prefecture.

However, in 1665, Naoki was dispossessed for negligence of duties and misgovernment, and Saijō Domain became tenryō territory administered directly by the shogunate.

Yoriatsu was succeeded by Matsudaira Yorikata, a son of Tokugawa Munemasa of Kii Domain.

In 1884, the final daimyō of Saijō, Matsudaira Yorihide was ennobled with the title of viscount (shishaku) in the kazoku peerage.