Itowaripu Toshiyori - Itowaripu Toshiyori

…A trade method by the Edo Shogunate that controlled the import of white thread (raw silk from China). Until then, Portuguese ships had monopolized trade with Japan (Nanban trade), and a large amount of Japanese silver was flowing out, but as soon as Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun and established the Shogunate, he immediately began to control the trade of white thread, which was a major import item, and in 1604 (Keicho 9), he appointed townspeople of the head class in the three cities of Sakai, Kyoto, and Nagasaki as Itowarifu Toshiyori. The wealthy townspeople organized a group around these Toshiyori (called the Sankasho Itowarifu Nakama), and the price of white thread was decided in consultation with Portuguese merchants, with the Itowarifu Toshiyori at the helm. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that refer to "Itowarifu Toshiyori" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…江戸幕府によって輸入白糸（しろいと）(中国産の生糸)を統制した貿易仕法。それまでポルトガル船が日本貿易を独占し(南蛮貿易)，多額の日本銀が流出していたが，徳川家康が将軍となって幕府を開くや，直ちに主要輸入品である白糸貿易の統制に乗りだし，1604年(慶長9)堺，京都，長崎の3都市の頭人クラスの町人を糸割符年寄に任命した。この年寄を中心に富裕な町人層が仲間を組織し(三ヵ所糸割符仲間という)，白糸値段について糸割符年寄を中心にポルトガル商人と協議して決定した。…

※「糸割符年寄」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報