Sashu Water Change Laborer - Sashu Water Change Laborer

Japanese: 佐州水替人足 - さしゅうみずかえにんそく

As part of the Edo Shogunate's measures against homelessness, the government sent arrested homeless people to Sado Island to work as water exchangers in the gold and silver mines. It was first implemented in 1778 (7th year of the An'ei era) under the Shogunate's Councillor Tanuma Okitsugu, at the suggestion of the former Sado magistrate, to send arrested and vicious homeless people to Sado as punishment. Around 200 people were housed in a water exchange hut of about 430 square meters surrounded by yaguri fences in the valleys of the mines. They were paid pocket money and, in principle, the sentence was life indefinite, but they could be released if they showed obvious remorse.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸幕府が無宿対策の一つとして，逮捕した無宿を佐渡に送り，金銀山の水替労働に使役した制度。1778年(安永7)老中田沼意次の幕閣のもと，元佐渡奉行の提案により，逮捕した悪質の無宿を懲らしめのため佐渡に送ったのが最初である。年齢は20～40歳程度，鉱山の谷間の矢来で囲った136坪余の水替小屋場に収容し，人数は200人前後であった。小遣銭を支給し，原則として無期であるが，改悛の情が顕著であれば放免することもあった。

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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