Pioneer - Kusawake

Japanese: 草分け - くさわけ

The first to develop land and establish a new town or village. Or the family that has the tradition of having developed the land and lives on it. Also called Kusagiri, Kuwabiraki, Shibaokoshi, etc., and when there are multiple, they are called Kusabun Shichiken, Goken (Hito) Hyakusho, Shibakiri Santo, etc. Compared to those who settled in the area after development, many of the powerful families in the village were proud of their lineage and had privileges such as festivals and shared mountains. In the Edo period, they served as village headmen (kusabun village headmen) for generations, and after the Meiji period, they took turns serving as ward chiefs, and were called by honorific names such as Okata or Oyashiki.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

最初に土地を開拓して新しく町や村を創始すること。またはその開発を行ったとの伝承を有し，かつその土地に居住する家。草切，鍬(くわ)開き，芝おこしなどともいい，複数の場合は草分七軒，五軒（人）百姓，芝切三戸などともいう。開発後に来在定着した者との比較でその系譜を誇り，祭や共有山などに特権をもつ村の有力な家が多く，江戸時代には代々名主（草分名主）に，明治以後は順番に区長を務めたりして，おかた，お屋敷などの敬称的な屋号で呼ばれた。

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