Tsushima Domain

This was a Tozama domain with its headquarters in Fuchu, Yora-go, Shimoagata-gun, Tsushima Province (Izuhara-machi, Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture). It is also called Fuchu Domain or Izuhara Domain. The domain was led by the So clan, and is one of the few examples of a medieval shugo daimyo who transformed into a modern daimyo. The domain exclusively handled diplomatic trade with Korea, the only independent country with which early modern Japan had formal diplomatic relations during its policy of national isolation. As a result, the family's status was high, and Tsushima Island was considered to have a stipend of over 100,000 koku, despite its low productivity and officially being considered a land of no value. In addition to Tsushima, the domain was given 10,000 koku in Satsuma in 1595 (which was exchanged for Hizen in 1599), and 20,000 koku in Hizen, Chikuzen, and Shimotsuke in 1817 (Bunka 14), but the rankings remained unchanged, and in reality the majority of the domain's finances were dependent on trade with Korea. As a result, in addition to storehouses on Tsushima and in each domain, as well as in Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka, the domain also had storehouses in Iki Katsumoto, Hakata (later abolished), and Nagasaki, and several hundred vassals and merchants were stationed at the Wakan in Busan, Korea. In the early days, the power structure and local rule still retained strong medieval forms, but various reforms following the Yanagawa Incident (a case of falsification of government documents) in 1631 (Kan'ei 8) transformed it into a more or less modern domain.

However, the local structure remained almost unchanged, and the modern era began with small farmers still in their infancy. As a result, unlike other domains, the domain did not experience a single peasant uprising. In the second half of the 17th century, the domain was said to be the most prosperous in the western part of Japan, due to its booming trade and successful redevelopment of the silver mine. However, in the 18th century, the domain fell into financial difficulties due to a trade slump and the decline of the silver mine. Despite successive thrift measures and financial assistance from the shogunate, the situation did not change much, and the domain was left with a huge debt when it was abolished. On the other hand, the domain began its educational policy early on, establishing an elementary school in 1685 (Jokyo 2), Shibunkan in 1788 (Tenmei 8), and Nisshinkan in 1864 (Genji 1). At the end of the Edo period, there were a series of internal disputes, including the coastal defense issue that began with the occupation of a Russian warship in 1861 (Bunkyu 1), the Hyakuyohai Incident in 1800 (Kansei 12), and the Katsui Disturbance in 1864. Even after the return of power to the Emperor in 1866 (Keio 2), the domain was permitted by the Meiji Restoration government to be in charge of diplomacy and trade with Korea, and continued to play that role until the abolition of the domains. After the return of the domains and people to the Emperor, the domain was renamed Izuhara Domain, and after the abolition and establishment of prefectures, it became Izuhara Prefecture, Imari Prefecture, and Saga Prefecture, before being incorporated into Nagasaki Prefecture in 1872 (Meiji 5).

[Yasunori Koya]

"History of Nagasaki Prefecture: Clan Government Edition" (1963, Yoshikawa Kobunkan) ▽ "Research on the Tsushima Clan by Sumiichi Izumi" (2002, Kansai University Press)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

対馬国下県(しもあがた)郡与良(よら)郷府中(ふちゅう)（長崎県対馬市厳原町(いづはらまち)）に藩庁を置いた外様(とざま)藩。府中藩、厳原藩ともいう。藩主は宗(そう)氏で、中世以来の守護大名が近世大名に転化した数少ない例。鎖国下の近世日本が正式な国交をもった唯一の独立国李氏(りし)朝鮮との外交貿易業務を、独占的に担った。そのため家格は高く、対馬島は生産力が低く公的には無高(むだか)とされたのにもかかわらず、10万石以上の格とされていた。領知は対馬島のほか、1595年（文禄4）に薩摩(さつま)に1万石（1599年＝慶長4年に肥前(ひぜん)に換地）、1817年（文化14）に肥前、筑前(ちくぜん)、下野(しもつけ)に2万石が加えられたが、前記の格づけは変わらず、実態としても藩財政の過半は朝鮮貿易に依存していた。その性格から、対馬と各領地、および江戸・京都・大坂の蔵屋敷のほか、壱岐勝本(いきかつもと)、博多(はかた)（のちに廃止）、長崎にも蔵屋敷を置き、朝鮮釜山(ふざん)の倭(わ)館には数百名の家臣・商人を常駐させていた。初期には権力構造や在地支配に中世以来の形態を強く残していたが、1631年（寛永8）の柳川一件(やながわいっけん)（国書改竄(かいざん)事件）後の諸改革によっていちおう近世的な藩に脱皮した。

　しかし在地の構造にはほとんど変化はなく、小農自立が未熟なままで近代を迎えた。そのため同藩には他藩のような百姓一揆(いっき)は1件もない。17世紀後半は貿易の活況、銀山再開発の成功などで西国一の分限(ぶんげん)といわれたが、18世紀に入ると貿易の不況と銀山の衰退のために財政難に陥り、相次ぐ倹約と幕府の財政援助によっても大勢は変わらず、廃藩時には膨大な藩債を残した。一方、文教政策には早くから着手し、1685年（貞享2）に小学校、1788年（天明8）思文館(しぶんかん)、1864年（元治1）に日新館(にっしんかん)を設置した。幕末には、1861年（文久1）のロシア軍艦の占拠事件をはじめとする海防問題と、1800年（寛政12）の百余輩(ひゃくよはい)事件、1864年の勝井(かつい)騒動などの内訌(ないこう)が相次いだ。1866年（慶応2）の大政奉還後も明治維新政府から朝鮮外交と貿易を担当することを許され、廃藩までその役割を担った。版籍奉還後、厳原藩と改称、廃藩置県後、厳原県、伊万里(いまり)県、佐賀県を経て、1872年（明治5）に長崎県に編入。

［荒野泰典］

『『長崎県史　藩政編』（1963・吉川弘文館）』▽『泉澄一著『対馬藩の研究』（2002・関西大学出版部）』

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