Storehouse - Kurayashiki

In the Edo period, storehouses were built by feudal lords, the shogunate, hatamoto (direct retainers of shogunate), shrines and temples, and vassals of various feudal domains to sell tribute rice and other domestic products, and had warehouses attached to them. They were located in key commercial and financial locations such as Osaka, Edo, Otsu, Tsuruga, and Nagasaki, but they developed particularly in Osaka, and from the second half of the 17th century onwards, many were built along the Nakanoshima, Tosabori River, Tenma Hori River, and Edo Hori River rivers. Around the Genroku period (1688-1704), there were about 100 storehouses, and at the end of the Edo period, there were about 125. The main roles of storehouses were (1) to sell stored goods, (2) to procure goods that could not be produced within the domain, and (3) to borrow money. The goods sold through storehouses were called "kuramono," the largest of which was tribute rice, or stored rice, and in Osaka from the second half of the 17th century onwards, 1 to 1.5 million koku of stored rice was sold every year. The sale of stored goods was conducted by bidding, and brokers who could participate in the bidding were designated for each storehouse. This was called the "kuranamae" (storehouse name). The successful bidder paid the silver to the kakeya, who issued a receipt for the silver, or silver stamp, which was exchanged for rice stamps at the kuramoto (storehouse). The holder of the rice stamp could claim actual rice by taking this to the kuramoto. The kakeya kept the silver from the sale of the stored goods, and when necessary, transferred it to the daimyo's home province or Edo domain residence, and also loaned it to the daimyo using the stored goods as collateral. In addition, storehouses had related townspeople such as myodai (agent), yokiki (business attendant), yotashi (customer), and tachiiri (entrance), as well as rusui (caretaker) and other storehouse-related officials. The Dojima Rice Exchange was the buying and selling agency for rice stamps issued by storehouses. After the abolition of the feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, storehouses were abolished and many were sold off.

[Miyamoto Mataro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代において、大名、幕府、旗本、社寺、諸藩家臣が貢租米その他国産物を売却するため設置した屋敷で、倉庫を付設する。大坂、江戸、大津、敦賀(つるが)、長崎など商業、金融上の要衝に置かれたが、ことに大坂で発達し、17世紀後半以降、中之島、土佐堀(とさぼり)川、天満(てんま)堀川、江戸堀川沿岸に数多く設置され、元禄(げんろく)（1688～1704）ごろには約100、幕末には約125存在した。蔵屋敷の主たる役割は、(1)蔵物(くらもの)を売却すること、(2)領内非自給物資を調達すること、(3)借銀をすることであった。蔵屋敷を通じて販売される物資を蔵物というが、その最大のものは貢租米、蔵米であり、大坂では17世紀後半以降、毎年100万～150万石の蔵米が販売された。蔵物の売却は入札制で行われ、入札に参加できる仲買は蔵ごとに指定されていた。これを蔵名前(くらなまえ)という。落札した仲買は代銀を掛屋(かけや)に納め、掛屋はその代銀受取証すなわち銀切手を発行、銀切手は蔵元(くらもと)で米切手と交換された。米切手所有者は蔵元にこれを持参すれば、現米を請求することができた。掛屋は蔵物販売代銀を保管し、必要に応じて大名の国許(くにもと)や江戸藩邸に送金したほか、蔵物を担保として大名貸を行った。このほか蔵屋敷には名代(みょうだい)、用聞(ようきき)、用達(ようたし)、館入(たちいり)といった関係町人がおり、また留守居(るすい)ほか蔵関係役人がいた。堂島(どうじま)米会所は、蔵屋敷から発行される米切手の売買機関であった。蔵屋敷は廃藩置県後、廃止となり、その多くは払い下げられた。

［宮本又郎］

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