Attendant - Kinju

It can also be read as "kinju" or "kinzu." Serving closely to one's lord. Also, the person. This title was already seen in the Imperial Court during the Heian period, and the Kamakura Shogunate had a system of kinjuban, where a few people would take turns attending on the Shogun. The Kenmu Code also has a clause that says, "How kinju should be selected," and it is known that this role was highly valued during the Muromachi period. The Edo Shogunate also initially had kinju, and from among them were selected to handle government affairs, but from the mid-period onwards, the title of kinju disappeared from the official system.

[Mieko Matsuo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

「きんじゅう」「きんず」とも読む。主君の側(そば)近く仕えること。またその人。平安時代の朝廷にすでにこの称がみえ、鎌倉幕府には数人ずつ交代で将軍のもとへ伺候(しこう)する近習番の制度が設けられていた。また「建武(けんむ)式目」に「近習の者を撰(えら)ばるべき事」という箇条があり、室町時代にこの役が重んじられていたことが知られる。江戸幕府も初め近習を置き、そのなかから出頭人が出て政務にあずかったが、中期以降は正規の職制から近習の称は消滅した。

［松尾美恵子］

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