Sake Brewing Restriction Act

Japanese: 酒造制限令 - しゅぞうせいげんれい

During the Edo period, the Shogunate imposed restrictions on the sake brewing industry, a major consumer of rice, in order to adjust rice prices. As part of measures to combat the Kan'ei Famine in 1642, the first restrictions were issued to rural areas in Shogunate territory, and then to local and town governments nationwide. By the end of the Edo period, restrictions had been issued about 60 times. In 1657, the sake brewing stock system was implemented, and each sake shop was issued a sake brewing stock certificate showing the amount of sake brewing stock (rice production amount). The sake brewing restriction order ordered a reduction in the amount of sake brewed to one-third, one-half, etc., based on this amount, and when the need for restrictions was no longer necessary, the order was lifted and sake brewers were allowed to brew freely. These orders were issued intensively during the Kanbun period (1661-1673), the Genroku period (1688-1704), and during the Tenmei period (1781-1789) and the Tenpo period (1830-1844), which were hit by nationwide famines. Furthermore, feudal domains sometimes imposed restrictions on sake brewing within their territories.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

江戸時代，幕府が米価を調整する必要から，大口需要者である酒造業に対して加えた制限令。1642年寛永飢饉の対策の一環として，まず幕府領の農村に，次いで全国の在方・町方に発令されたのが始めとされ，以後幕末までに約60回発せられた。1657年には酒造株の制度が実施され，各酒屋には酒造株高（造石高）を記載した酒造株札が交付された。酒造制限令はこの高を基準に，３分の１，２分の１などと醸造する高の削減を命じるもので，制限の必要がなくなると解除され勝手造りとされた。寛文期（1661年−1673年）・元禄期（1688年−1704年），および全国的な飢饉に見舞われた天明期（1781年−1789年）・天保期（1830年−1844年）に集中的に発令された。なお諸藩においても，領内を対象に酒造に制限が加えられることもあった。

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