Salt wholesaler - Shiodoiya

Japanese: 塩問屋 - しおどいや

A wholesaler that handles salt in production or consumption areas.
[Local salt wholesaler]
During the Edo period, salt produced in the Setouchi 10 provinces of salt fields was not permitted to be sold directly by producers, and was usually sold through salt wholesalers. When a salt-carrying ship arrived to buy salt, it first negotiated with the salt wholesaler. The wholesaler notified the salt direct salesman (shioneshi), who met to decide on the price, with the wholesaler acting as an intermediary between the shipowner and the direct salesman. When both parties agreed on the number of bales of salt and the price, the sale was completed, and the wholesaler notified the Hamato (producer) of the price.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

産地または消費地で塩を取り扱う問屋。
［産地の塩問屋］
　江戸時代，瀬戸内十州塩田で生産される塩は，生産者の直接販売が許されず，塩問屋を通じて販売されるのが普通であった。塩廻船が塩の買付けに入船したときは，まず塩問屋と交渉する。問屋はこれを塩直師（しおねし）に通知し，直師たちは会合して値段を決定するが，問屋は船主と直師との間に立って斡旋する。その結果，塩の俵数･値段とも双方が同意すると売買が成立し，問屋は浜人(生産者)に値段を通知する。

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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