Hirosato Chosho

A senior retainer of the Satsuma domain in the late Edo period. Born on February 5, 1875, into the Kawasaki family, a low-ranking samurai family under Kagoshima Castle, he was later adopted into the Chosho family. His childhood name was Ryohachi, and he later changed his name to Shoetsu and Shozaemon. He became a favorite of the former domain lord Shimazu Shigehide after becoming his tea boy, and was promoted to his position as a chamberlain. After Shigehide retired, the Satsuma domain's debt rapidly increased, reaching a huge amount of 5 million ryo by the end of the Bunsei era (1818-1830). In 1827 (Bunsei 10), Chosho was appointed head of financial reform, and from then on devoted himself to the reform. As a notable measure, he implemented a sugar monopoly policy for Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Kikaijima and Mishima, strictly forbidding the buying and selling of Mishima sugar, punishing violators with the death penalty or other severe punishment, and also set up a system whereby any surplus brown sugar left over after tribute was exchanged for daily necessities by the islanders, which he bought at about a quarter of the market price in Osaka. He also implemented a 250-year repayment system for the domain's 5 million ryo bond, repaying it at 20,000 ryo per year, and made profits from improving rice, rapeseed and other domestic products, as well as smuggling. In this way, he finally succeeded in reforming his finances, and by the end of the Tenpo era (1830-44), the domain had a reserve fund of 500,000 ryo, and various maintenance costs amounted to over 2 million ryo. Due to his achievements in financial reform, he became a chief retainer and came into conflict with his enlightened son, Nariakira. However, he was suspected of smuggling by the shogunate and died suddenly on December 18, 1848, apparently by suicide.

[Yoshi Sokusei]

"Satsuma at the end of the Edo period by Torao Haraguchi (Chuko Shinsho)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の薩摩(さつま)藩家老。安永(あんえい)5年2月5日、鹿児島城下の下級武士川崎家に生まれ、のち調所家の養子となった。幼名良八、のち笑悦(しょうえつ)、笑左衛門と改めた。前藩主島津重豪(しげひで)付きの茶坊主となったことからそのお気に入りとなり、累進して御側用人(おそばようにん)となった。薩摩藩では重豪の隠居後急速に藩債が増加して、文政(ぶんせい)（1818～30）の末には500万両の巨額に達した。1827年（文政10）調所はその財政改革主任を命ぜられ、以来死力を尽くして改革にあたった。顕著な方策としてまず奄美(あまみ)大島、徳之島、喜界(きかい)島三島の砂糖専売政策をとり、三島砂糖の売買を厳禁し、違反者は死刑などの極刑に処し、上納後の余分の黒糖についても島民の日用品と交換する仕組みで、それを大坂市場価格の4分の1ぐらいで引き取った。また藩債500万両を年2万両ずつ返済する藩債250年賦償還法をとり、さらに米、菜種その他の国産品改良や密貿易などで利益をあげた。こうしてついにみごと財政改革に成功、天保(てんぽう)（1830～44）末期には藩庫備蓄金50万両のほか、諸営繕費用200万両余に達したという。財政改革の功により家老となり、開明派の世子斉彬(なりあきら)と対立したが、幕府より密貿易の嫌疑を受け、嘉永(かえい)元年12月18日急死、自殺という。

［芳　即正］

『原口虎雄著『幕末の薩摩』（中公新書）』

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