Service number - utensil number

Japanese: 使番 - つかいばん

The post of the Edo Shogunate's guards. Originally, they served as messengers and patrolmen in the military camps during wartime. In the olden days, they were also called tsukaiyaku (servicemen). In 1617 (Genwa 3), they were made a regular post, with 28 or 25 members. The number increased afterwards, and by the end of the Edo period, it had risen from 50 to 112. In 1866 (Keio 2), 56 of them were relieved of their duties and incorporated into the Kinshi-narai-yoriai. They were under the control of the wakadoshiyori, with a salary of 1,000 koku, a rank of fukui, and a station at Kikuno-ma Minami-gosuma-giwai. In peacetime, they toured various provinces to inspect the feudal lords' achievements and movements with each succession of the Shogun (Shokoku Junkenshi), or were often appointed to young feudal lords and supervised them (Kuni Metsuke), or were present at the handover of castles to supervise them, all of them serving as envoys of the Shogunate.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸幕府番方の職制。本来は戦時の軍陣にあって伝令･巡視の役目を務めた。古くは使役（つかいやく）ともいった。1617年(元和3)定役となり，このときの員数は28人あるいは25人という。その後増加して，幕末には50人から急増し，ついには112人を数えた。1866年(慶応2)そのうちの56人が御役御免となり，勤仕並寄合に編入された。若年寄の支配に属し，役高は1000石，格は布衣，詰所は菊之間南御襖際。平時には，将軍の代替りごとに諸国を巡回して大名の治績動静を視察し(諸国巡見使)，あるいは幼少の大大名のもとへ多く赴任し，その後見監督に当たり(国目付)，あるいは城の受渡しのときにその場に臨んで監督するなど，すべて幕府の上使を務めた。

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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