Magistrate of Sado

This was one of the Edo Shogunate's magistrate offices for distant provinces. The magistrate's office was located in Aikawa throughout the Edo period. Sado Province became the territory of Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1600 (Keicho 5). Tanaka Seiroku (a wealthy merchant from Omi) became the magistrate and went to Sado immediately after the Battle of Sekigahara. In 1603, the head magistrate, Okubo Nagayasu, ruled Sado, but after Nagayasu's death, Ieyasu took over Sado from the Okubo clan. In the Genna era (1615-24), Takemura Kuroemon and Shizume Ichizaemon ruled Sado as magistrates, and the organization gradually became more robust. Considering the content of their duties, it would seem that this is the period when they should be called the de facto Sado magistrates.

The most important duties of the Sado magistrate were the management of the gold and silver mines and the maintenance and development of the civil administration of the entire province of Sado. At first, there were some Sado magistrates with stipends of over 10,000 koku, such as Itami Harima, but these were the exception; most were people with small stipends, and many had changed jobs from positions such as Kanjo Ginmiyaku (financial accountant), Metsuke (inspector), and Nandogashira (head of the storehouse). Until the end of the Edo period, including cases where there was only one or two magistrates, the number reached 102. Their official salary was 1,000 koku, their salary was 1,500 koku, and their stipend was 100 people. They were made up of 30 yoriki (police officers), 70 doshin (police officers), and other subordinates.

[Keiichi Tanaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府の職遠国(おんごく)奉行の一つである。奉行所は、江戸時代を通じて相川(あいかわ)に置かれた。佐渡国が徳川家康の領地となったのは1600年（慶長5）のことである。代官となった田中清六（近江(おうみ)の豪商）が佐渡に赴いたのは関ヶ原の戦い直後である。1603年、代官頭大久保長安(ながやす)が佐渡を支配したが、長安が没すると家康は大久保氏から佐渡を接収した。元和(げんな)（1615～24）に入り、竹村九郎右衛門、鎮目(しずめ)市左衛門が奉行として佐渡を支配して以来、機構はしだいに充実した。職務の内容からみる限り、このあたりからが実質的な佐渡奉行とよばれるべきであろう。

　佐渡奉行の任務のもっとも大きなものは金銀山の経営と、佐渡一国の民政の維持発展にあった。佐渡奉行には初めは伊丹播磨(いたみはりま)のように万石以上の者もあったがそれは例外であって、小禄(しょうろく)の者が多く、勘定吟味役(かんじょうぎんみやく)、目付(めつけ)、納戸頭(なんどがしら)などから転職した者が多かった。幕末まで1人制、2人制の場合を含めてその人数は102人に及んでいる。役高1000石、職禄1500俵、100人扶持(ぶち)。与力30騎、同心70人、その他の下僚が属した。

［田中圭一］

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