Pursuit envoy - Tsuibushi

A police position in the Heian period. It was a so-called Ryoge no Kan (official position outside the Ritsuryo Code) and had no stipulations on its duties in the Ritsuryo Code. It first appeared in historical documents in 932 (Shohei 2), when it was established for the purpose of suppressing pirates. Since military and police powers in ancient Japan were basically exercised on a provincial level, it was difficult to target groups that operated over a wide area such as pirates, and therefore the Tsuihoshi was created. The target area was a wide area such as the Tokaido and Tosando, but eventually they were appointed for each province, and in conjunction with the kokushi system, they played an active role in military and police operations. Most of the people appointed were local lords, and they were the most suitable people for the position as they had thorough knowledge of the local conditions. It also became one of the origins of the Sotsuihoshi (shugo) of the Kamakura shogunate.

[Inoue Mitsuro]

"Research on the Military System in the Heian Period" by Mitsuro Inoue (1980, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安時代の警察的官職。いわゆる令外官(りょうげのかん)で、律令のなかに職掌上の規定をもたない。史料上の初見は932年（承平2）で、海賊の鎮圧を目的として設置された。古代日本の軍事・警察権は基本的には各国々を単位として発動されるから、海賊のような広範囲にわたって活動する集団は対象としにくく、したがって追捕使が創設されるところとなった。東海道・東山道といった広い地域が対象となったが、やがて各国ごとに任命されるようになり、国司制度と相まって軍事・警察行動に活躍した。任命されたのは主として現地の土豪で、地域の実情を知悉(ちしつ)しているということでもっともふさわしい存在であった。鎌倉幕府の総追捕使（守護）の源流の一つともなった。

［井上満郎］

『井上満郎著『平安時代軍事制度の研究』（1980・吉川弘文館）』

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