Kimono maker - Gofukushi

Japanese: 呉服師 - ごふくし

During the Edo period, they were special purveyors who exclusively supplied kimono items to the Shogun's close aides. Other kimono merchants who frequented the Imperial Palace and the feudal lord's residences were also called kimono merchants. There were two types of official kimono merchants: the Motokata Onanko and the Harakata Onanko. The former provided all of the Shogun's clothing and personal items, while the latter provided all of the clothing for gifts and rewards. As they served as close aides to the Shogun and handled his personal affairs, they were also very close to him on a personal level and often had access to vested interests. At the time the Shogunate was established in 1603 (Keicho 8), Goto Nuidonosuke, Chaya Shirojiro, and Kameya Einin were highly valued as close aides to Tokugawa Ieyasu, but from the end of the Keicho period to the Genna period, three more merchants, Oshu Chaya Shinshiro, Kamiyanagi, and Mishimaya, were added, forming a group of six kimono merchants.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸時代，将軍家の側近として呉服物を独占的に納入した特殊な御用達。そのほか禁裏御所や大名屋敷に出入りした呉服商も呉服師とよばれた。公儀呉服師には元方御納戸御用と払方御納戸御用があり，前者は将軍家の服飾と手回り品いっさいの調達を，後者は賜与，ほうびの時服などいっさいの調達を行った。将軍の側近にあって身辺の御用を務めていた関係から，私的にきわめて親近な関係にあり，利権にありつくことも多かった。1603年(慶長8)の幕府の成立時には，後藤縫殿助，茶屋四郎次郎，亀屋栄任らが徳川家康の側近として重宝がられていたが，慶長末より元和年間にかけて尾州茶屋新四郎，上柳，三島屋の3軒が追加され，呉服師6軒仲間が成立した。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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