Ginza

Japanese: 水銀座 - すいぎんざ

In the Middle Ages, this group of merchants had exclusive rights to trade mercury mined in Nyu, Iidaka County, Ise Province (present-day Sewa Village, Taki County, Mie Prefecture). Mercury and its raw ore, cinnabar, have a wide range of uses, including as a pharmaceutical product and a raw material for pigment and white powder, and mercury from Ise was already being paid as a tribute by Emperor Mommu and Emperor Genmei. During the Kōnin era (810-824), a mining town with 1,000 to 2,000 households appeared, made up of miners and merchants from all over the country. Historical records show a dispute between the Ginza and the priests of Ise Grand Shrine in Honjō during the Kenkyu era (1190-99) in the early Kamakura period, so the establishment of the za probably dates back to the Heian period.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中世，伊勢国飯高郡丹生(現，三重県多気郡勢和村)産出水銀の特権的な取引に従事した商人団。水銀とその原鉱辰砂は医薬品用，顔料白粉原料等として用途が広く，すでに文武･元明天皇のころから伊勢産水銀の貢納が行われていた。弘仁年間(810‐824)には諸国から集まった鉱夫や商人で戸数1000から2000軒におよぶ鉱山町が出現したという。鎌倉初期の建久年間(1190‐99)に本所の伊勢大神宮の神官と水銀座が争った史料が残されているので，座の成立はおそらく平安時代にさかのぼることが考えられる。

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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