Artisan Town - Shokuninmachi

Japanese: 職人町 - しょくにんまち

A town in early modern cities where craftsmen who were skilled in handicrafts lived. During the construction of castle towns in the early modern period, feudal lords needed to have carpenters, plasterers, blacksmiths and other craftsmen living in the castle towns, mainly for military purposes, such as civil engineering and construction work such as building castles, and the manufacture and repair of weapons and armor. To this end, master carpenters who were official craftsmen were given various privileges, such as the right to do business within their domains, and were bestowed with one or several cho of land, and were tasked with taking on work as government or public service. The master carpenters gathered their subordinate craftsmen, divided the land they were bestowed, and had them live there and work for the lord.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

近世の都市において手工業技術者である職人の集住する町。近世初頭の城下町建設期に，領主は築城などの土木建築工事や武器武具類の製作修理など，主として軍事上の必要から大工，左官，鍛冶屋をはじめとする手工業者を城下に集住させる必要があった。そのため，御用手工業者の棟梁には領内における営業権など種々の特権を与え，1町ないし数町の土地を拝領させ，国役（くにやく）または公役としてそれぞれに仕事を請け負わせた。棟梁は配下の職人を集めてその拝領地を分割して住まわせ，領主の仕事に従事させた。

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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