Palanquin - Koshi

Japanese: 輿 - こし

There are two types of palanquin: agekoshi (shoulder palanquin) (later called nagae palanquin), in which people carry a palanquin or box on the shoulder with a long handle, and yoyo (waist palanquin) (also called tagoshi), in which a long handle is tied to a string and slung over the shoulder and supported on the waist by the hands. Riders range from nobles to commoners, escorting criminals, sending off or receiving the remains of gods and Buddhas, and carrying coffins at funerals. In terms of literature, the oldest palanquin is recorded in the section on Emperor Suinin in the Nihon Shoki, and in the Taiho Code it was limited to use by the empress and Saio in addition to the emperor, and from the late Heian period onwards it began to be used by retired emperors and nobles and lower class people. This was probably because people relied on palanquins, which were simpler and more functional than oxcarts, to travel on poor road conditions.

In the Kamakura period, even samurai families began to use palanquins, and in November 1186, five-year-old Minamoto no Yoriie rode in one to visit Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, and successive Shoguns rode in palanquins, as recorded in the Azuma Kagami. In the Muromachi period, a system was established for the use of palanquins, and the Edo Shogunate also established a system for riding palanquins, only allowing those of certain family ranks, including the Gosanke.

[Goka loyal retainer]

kinds

(1) Ho-ren (Phoenix Palanquin) Also called Ran-yo (Phoenix Palanquin), this is the most highly esteemed carriage used by the Emperor on formal occasions such as the enthronement, Daijo-e, and Chokin. It is named after the golden phoenix shape that is placed on the top of the carriage.

(2) Onion flower palanquin (Sokaren) It is also called flower palanquin because it has a pointed round shape like an onion flower on the top of the palanquin. It was used for temporary informal ceremonies and for visits to various shrines and temples (except for Kasuga and Hiyoshi shrines), and was also used by the Empress and Saigū.

(3) Koshi: The Emperor was carried on his person in emergencies, such as when the Imperial Palace burned down or there was an earthquake, or when he was suddenly called upon to travel.

(4) Ajirogoshi (traditional Japanese palanquin) From the late Heian period onwards, aristocrats began to use it, but later restrictions were put in place and it was limited to the families of princes, regents and Seika. It is a type of palanquin with wheels removed and a shaft attached, and is called a shayo in documents. It is made by cutting thin green bamboo, incorporating it into a bamboo pole and stretching it on the outside. It was originally held around the waist, but after the Muromachi period, the shaft was lengthened and it was carried on the shoulders. It is carried by six people of monk rank called rikisha (strong men).

(5) Shihokoshi: It is called this because it is made of bamboo and has blinds on all four sides. It appeared in the middle of the Kamakura period and was used by retired emperors, regents, ministers, nobles, and priests when they went to distant places. The style of the palanquin for priests is that of an amamayu shape with a high ridge and a curved roof, while the palanquin for laypeople is of an iori shape with a mountain-shaped ridge. It is carried like a hand palanquin and is also called an itakoshi.

(6) Shoyo (small palanquin) This consists of a base and a parapet, and has no roof. It was used by the Saisho-e reciters.

(7) Harikoshi: A palanquin covered with straw matting, used to escort criminal nobles.

(8) Nurigoshi: A lacquered palanquin. Those used by nobles had eaves, while those used by samurai and monks did not. It was used informally, but became widely used during the Edo period.

(9) Shirakoshi: A palanquin made of white wood.

In addition, there are cases where they have been repurposed into religious implements such as portable shrines (shinyo) and sariran (shariren).

[Goka loyal retainer]

Main types of palanquins (1)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Main types of palanquins (1)

Main types of palanquins (2)
© Yoshiyasu Tanaka

Main types of palanquins (2)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

屋形・箱に人を乗せ、長柄(ながえ)を肩で担ぐ肩輿(あげこし)（後世、長柄輿という）と、長柄に紐(ひも)を結んで肩からかけて手で腰に支える腰輿(ようよ)（手輿(たごし)ともいう）がある。乗り手は、貴人から庶民、罪人護送、神仏体の送迎、葬送の棺などにわたる。文献的には『日本書紀』垂仁(すいにん)天皇の条に記載されているのが輿のもっとも古いもので、大宝令(たいほうりょう)では天皇の使用のほか、皇后・斎王に限定され、平安後期に及んだころより上皇をはじめ公卿(くぎょう)以下でも乗用するようになった。これは悪い条件の道路を牛車(ぎっしゃ)より簡便で機能的な輿に頼ったからであろう。

　鎌倉時代になると武家においても乗用するようになり、文治(ぶんじ)2年（1186）11月、5歳の源頼家(よりいえ)が鶴岡八幡(つるがおかはちまん)の参詣(さんけい)に輿に乗ったのをはじめとして代々の将軍が乗用したことが『吾妻鏡(あづまかがみ)』に記載されている。室町時代には輿の使用に関する制度を設け、江戸幕府も乗輿の制を設け、御三家(ごさんけ)をはじめとして特定な家格の者に限って乗輿を認めた。

［郷家忠臣］

種類

(1)鳳輦(ほうれん)　鸞輿(らんよ)ともいい、天皇が即位、大嘗会(だいじょうえ)、朝覲(ちょうきん)などの晴の行幸に使用するもっとも重んぜられるもので、屋形の頂に金色の鳳の形を据えているところから名づけられる。

(2)葱花輦(そうかれん)　単に花輦ともいい、屋形の頂に先のとがった丸い葱花に似た形を据えているのでいう。鳳輦よりも軽い臨時略式や諸社寺行幸（春日(かすが)・日吉(ひえ)の2社を除く）などに用い、また皇后・斎宮(さいくう)も用いた。

(3)腰輿　非常の場合の天皇乗用具で、内裏(だいり)炎上とか地震の災害や方違(かたたがえ)、にわかの行幸に使用した。

(4)網代輿(あじろごし)　平安後期より貴族が使用するようになり、のち制限が生じ、親王・摂関(せっかん)・清華の家格に限られた。網代車の車輪をとって轅(ながえ)をつけた形のもので、文献に車輿(しゃよ)とある。青竹を細く削って網代に組み、外側に張ったもので、初め腰のあたりで持つ形であったが、室町時代以後は轅を長くして肩に担いだ。担い手は力者(りきしゃ)という僧体の6人からなる。

(5)四方輿(しほうこし)　網代を張っているが、四方に簾(すだれ)がかかっているのでいう。鎌倉中期ころ現れ、上皇、摂関、大臣はじめ公卿や僧綱(そうごう)などが遠方に赴く場合に用いたが、形式は、僧侶(そうりょ)の輿は棟を高くし、屋根を反らした雨眉(あままゆ)形で、俗人の輿は棟を山形にした庵(いおり)形にして区別する。手輿と同じく担ぎ、板輿(いたこし)ともいう。

(6)小輿(しょうよ)　台座と高欄とからなり、屋根のない作り。最勝会(さいしょうえ)の講読師が乗用した。

(7)張輿(はりこし)　莚(むしろ)を張った輿で、罪人の公家(くげ)を護送するときに用いた。

(8)塗輿(ぬりごし)　漆を塗った輿で、公家の乗り物は庇(ひさし)付きで、武家と僧侶のものは庇がない。略儀的に用いられたが、江戸時代にはよく用いられるようになった。

(9)白輿(しらこし)　白木作りの輿。

　このほか、神輿(しんよ)や舎利輦(しゃりれん)など宗教用具に転用した場合がある。

［郷家忠臣］

輿のおもな種類(1)

輿のおもな種類(2)

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