Elderly - Elderly

The original meaning was someone who was older and had a lot of experience and knowledge, and from there it came to mean someone who was at the core of the administrative system in the Middle Ages and the Edo Period. (1) Among the nobles, those who were close aides to the emperor and consulted him. In the early Kamakura period, the emperor had 10 nobles including the Nairan who were close aides and were called Gisou, but they were also called Toshiyori-shu and Osoba-shu. (2) A position of senior vassal of a samurai family who oversaw government affairs. In the Muromachi Shogunate, this referred to the Hyojo-shu and Hikitsuke-shu, and was also called Choro and Sukuro. In the Edo Period, this referred to the Shogunate's Tairo, Roju, and Wakadoshiyori, and the elder retainers of various feudal domains were sometimes called Toshiyori, and all of these people were called people at the center of government affairs. (3) This refers to a central person in charge of administration in a town or village. In the medieval village system, the people who held leading positions were called toshiyori, and were also called otona, tone, and kimoiri. In the towns of the Edo period, the town officials were called toshiyori. In Edo, the three toshiyori of Taruya, Naraya, and Kitamura controlled the headman and below, and there was a so-doshiyori in Osaka, and machi-doshiyori in Kyoto, Sakai, and Nagasaki. In rural areas, it referred to one of the three village officials, who were three or four people selected from within the village to assist the headman and village headman. In the Kanto region, this was also called kumicho. In the late Edo period, the village government advisors consisting of retired headman and kumicho were also called toshiyori. (4) The term was derived from the above-mentioned various officials and referred to people who were in charge of various organizations. In the Edo period, the person in charge of supervising the maids in the Ooku was called the Oku-jocho-noshiyori, and townspeople also had positions such as the wholesale market noshiyori and the rice price market noshiyori, who were in charge of overseeing each organization.

[Uesugi Masahiko]

In addition, when there are vacancies among the 105 positions after a sumo wrestler ranked at or above juryo retires, the sumo elders inherit the names and are responsible for running the Sumo Association.

[Editorial Department]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

年齢の高い人、経験・知識の豊かな人がもとの意味で、そこから、中世や江戸時代の職制の中核となる人を意味した。(1)公家(くげ)では、天皇の側近でその相談にあずかる人。鎌倉初期、天皇の側近に内覧(ないらん)以下10人の公家を置き議奏(ぎそう)と称したが、これはまた年寄衆、御側(おそば)衆ともよばれた。(2)武家の重臣で政務を統轄する地位。室町幕府では、評定(ひょうじょう)衆、引付(ひきつけ)衆をいい、長老、宿老ともいった。江戸時代には、幕府の大老、老中、若年寄をいい、諸藩の家老を年寄ということもあり、いずれも政務の中心に位置する人をそうよんだ。(3)町や村の行政にあたる中心の人をいう。中世の郷村制では、その指導的地位にたつ人を年寄といい、おとな、刀禰(とね)、肝煎(きもいり)ともいった。江戸時代の町では、町役人を年寄といい、江戸では樽屋(たるや)、奈良(なら)屋、喜多村(きたむら)の三年寄が名主以下を支配し、大坂にも惣(そう)年寄、京都・堺(さかい)・長崎にも町年寄があった。また農村では、村役人である村方三役の一つをいい、村内より3、4人を選び、名主、庄屋(しょうや)を補佐した。関東地方ではこれを組頭ともいった。また江戸後期には、引退した名主、組頭からなる村政相談役を年寄ともいった。(4)以上の諸役から転じて、各種組織の統轄にあたる人を年寄とよんだ。江戸時代の大奥の女中取締りにあたる人を奥女中年寄といい、町人にも問屋場年寄、米相場年寄といった地位があり、各組織の統轄にあたった。

［上杉允彦］

　なお、相撲(すもう)の年寄は、十両以上の力士が引退したあと、定員105名に欠員があれば、名跡を相続し、相撲協会の運営にあたる。

［編集部］

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