Wallet - Purse

A container for money, also called a zeni-ire in the Edo period. It became popular after the economy of money users developed, and probably originated from kane-washi. Coins such as oban, koban, mameita silver, gaku, and nami-sen were minted and used as daily currency, and the use of wallets became widespread. Note that oban coins were not currency, but rewards for victories in wars, so they were not stored in wallets. The shape of a wallet is a long piece of navy blue cotton folded in half and sewn on both sides, with one side of the opening slightly open, a breast attached to the opening, and a string for hanging around the neck threaded through the breast. Coins are placed at the bottom of the wallet, and the wallet is rolled up and stored deep in the pocket. Some merchants use a blind-striped bag with their shop name printed in white. Also, if money is frequently taken out and put back in, the wallet is likely to be damaged, so patterns of lucky diamonds and hemp leaves are embroidered on the cloth with kana thread.

Common people made them from striped cotton left over from kimonos, hence the term "striped wallet." As these wallets hung around the neck were inconvenient to take things in and out of, people used drawstring bags to store coins, but towards the end of the mid-Edo period, a more convenient leather wallet called a Hayamichi was invented. For men, this was placed in a square sash and was a bag with a cylindrical top and a lid with a fastener at the bottom, the cylindrical top part being a holder for gold and silver. The name Hayamichi was taken from the nickname for a courier, meaning one who could reach their destination quickly. This wallet had the advantage that the contents could not be easily stolen, even by pickpockets or drawstring cutters.

For travel, a coin purse called a sento, fashioned into a wakizashi, was used as a precaution against being attacked by thieves or "goma no hae." In the Meiji period, when gold, silver, and copper coins were minted and became circulating currency, metal wallets called "genkotsu" to hold these coins became popular. After paper money was issued, bifold cloth and leather wallets appeared. As wallets became more sophisticated, luxury items were made using woven fabrics such as brocade, and even leather from cow, lizard, and crocodile were used.

[Takeshi Endo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

金銭を収める入れ物のことで、江戸時代には銭(ぜに)入れともいった。銭つかいの経済が発達してから普及したもので、たぶん金(かね)包みより出たものであろう。大判、小判、豆板(まめいた)銀、額(がく)、波(なみ)銭などの貨幣が鋳造され、それが日常の通貨として使用されるようになって、財布の利用が普及した。なお、大判は通貨ではなく、戦勝のおりの報奨金であったから、財布に収めるものではなかった。財布の形態は、長い紺木綿を二つ折りにして左右の両側を縫い留め、開口部の一方を少しあけ、そこに乳(ち)をつけて、その乳に、首から下げるための打ち紐(ひも)を通す。この財布の底に銭を入れて、ぐるぐる巻いたものを懐中深く収めておく。商人のなかには、盲縞(めくらじま)の袋に白抜きで屋号を入れたものを用いた者もある。また金銭の出し入れが激しい場合は、財布の損傷も多いので、裂地(きれじ)に幸菱(さいわいびし)、麻の葉の模様をかな糸で刺した。

　庶民は、着物の余り裂の縞木綿でつくったから、「縞の財布」ということばが生まれた。首から下げるこの財布は、出し入れに不便なところから、小銭は巾着(きんちゃく)を利用したが、江戸時代中期も終わり近くになると、早道(はやみち)という革製の便利なものができた。これは男子用で、角帯に挟んで用いるもので、上部は筒形、下部は留め具のついた蓋(ふた)のある袋で、上部の筒形は金銀の額入れである。この早道は、早く目的を達せられるという意味で、飛脚の別称からとったものである。これは、すりや巾着切りにあっても、簡単には抜き取られない利点があった。

　また旅行用には、脇差(わきざし)に加工した銭刀(せんとう)という、銭入れも用いられ、これは盗人や「ごまのはえ」にやられぬ用心のためのものである。明治に入って、金・銀・銅貨が鋳造されて流通貨幣となると、これを入れる「げんこつ」という金具の財布（がまぐち）が普及した。さらに紙幣が発行されてから、二つ折りの布帛(ふはく)や革製の財布が登場。さらに財布の高級化により、金襴(きんらん)などの織物を用いたぜいたく品までがつくられ、革でも牛、トカゲ、ワニなどのたぐいまで用いられている。

［遠藤　武］

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