Pond guardian - Ikemori

Japanese: 池守 - いけもり

An official in charge of maintaining and managing a reservoir. Also called a well guardian, pond lord, or pond magistrate. The position and role of the pond guardian in the overall water utilization organization varied depending on the pond and also depending on the era. In the Middle Ages, local people who were well versed in water irrigation were often appointed by manor lords as officials in charge of managing the pond and distributing the water. In the early modern period, it became common for a specific family to be hereditarily appointed as pond guardian for large reservoirs. For example, the Mannoike Pond in Sanuki was restored in the early modern period, and the local lord Yahara clan, who cooperated in the restoration, served as pond guardians for generations and were paid a pond guardian's stipend.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

溜池の維持管理にあたる役職者。井守，池司，池奉行などともいう。池守の水利組織全体における位置や役割は池によって異なり，また時代によっても相違した。中世においては，用水事情に通暁した在地の人物が池の管理と池水の分配をする役人として荘園領主によって任命されることが多かった。近世になると大きな溜池には特定の家が池守に世襲的に任命されることが一般化した。たとえば，讃岐の満濃池は近世初頭に再興されたが，それに協力した土豪の矢原氏が代々池守となり，池守給を支給されていた。

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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