Rice milling shop - Tsukigomeya

Japanese: 搗米屋 - つきごめや

Milling is the process of polishing rice, and in the early modern period, people who specialized in this profession were established, known as milling merchants, and were responsible for the final stage of rice distribution. In Edo in 1744 (Enkyo 1), there were 18 groups, approximately 2,100 milling merchants, operating with around 5,500 mortars. In addition, there were daido milling merchants, of which there were around 1,100 in 1727 (Kyoho 12). Both milling merchants and daido milling merchants purchased brown rice from the Kashi Hachicho rice brokerage (25 people) and the Wakiten Hachisho group rice merchants (275 people), polished it into white rice, and sold it to consumers.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

搗米は精米する作業で，近世にはこれを専業とするものが成立し，搗米屋と呼ばれて米穀流通の最終過程を担当した。江戸には1744年(延享1)当時18組，およそ2100人の搗米屋が存在し，臼5500ほどを使って営業していた。このほか搗米を営むものとして大道搗が，1727年(享保12)当時1100人ほどいた。搗米屋，大道搗はともに玄米を河岸八町米仲買(25人)，脇店八ヵ所組米屋(275人)から買い入れ，白米にして消費者に売っていた。

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

<<: Tsugishikishikishi

>>: Grafting