Kanme aratamesho - Kanme aratamesho

In 1712 (Shotoku 2), the Edo Shogunate established these facilities at the wholesaler's offices of five post stations - Shinagawa, Sunpu, and Kusatsu on the Tokaido, and Itabashi and Seba on the Nakasendo - to check the weight of luggage traveling along the highways. Later, in 1743 (Kanpo 3), they were added to Senju and Utsunomiya on the Nikkodo, in 1821 (Bunsei 4) to Naito-shinjuku and Kofu-yanagimachi on the Koshudo, and in 1838 (Tenpo 9) to Oiwake on the Nakasendo, expanding the number of post stations to ten. The new Kanme-kaisho was established because feudal lords and samurai made people and horses at inns and sukego (assistant villagers) suffer from the pain of having them carry luggage worth more than kanme. However, since changing the weight of all passing luggage at the new Kanme-kaisho would have caused problems in the business of traveling, in reality, only heavy luggage was changed when it was changed. The standard weight for Tenma luggage was 32 Kanme per da, and for Dachi-sen luggage it was 40 Kanme.

[Asai Junko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府が1712年（正徳2）、街道往来荷物の重さを検査するために、東海道の品川、駿府(すんぷ)、草津と、中山道(なかせんどう)の板橋、洗馬(せば)の5宿の問屋場に併置した機関。のち1743年（寛保3）には日光道中の千住(せんじゅ)、宇都宮(うつのみや)両宿、1821年（文政4）甲州道中の内藤新宿(ないとうしんじゅく)、甲府柳町、さらに1838年（天保9）には中山道追分(おいわけ)宿を加え、10宿に増置した。大名、旗本が過貫目の荷物を運搬させて宿や助郷(すけごう)の人馬を苦しめたのが原因で設置されたが、通過荷物の重量をすべて新設の貫目改所で改めていては往還の業務に支障をきたすので、実際は荷物の付け替えのとき重い荷物のみを改めた。伝馬(てんま)荷物は1駄32貫目、駄賃荷物は40貫目を標準とした。

［浅井潤子］

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