Tomeyama

Among the forests of feudal lords in the early modern period, known as Ohayashi (imperial forests), forests where entry and cutting were strictly prohibited. During the great construction period in the early modern period, high-quality forest resources enclosed by feudal lords were cut down in large quantities from areas where they could be removed, leading to a depletion of resources by the Kanbun and Enpo periods (1661-1681). In addition, the development of farmland in the mountains and fields progressed during this period, which reduced the soil and water conservation functions of the mountains and fields, leading to disasters in the fields. After that, by the Kyoho period (1716-1736), in order to resolve this situation, feudal lords widely designated forests where cutting was prohibited (reserved forests) in order to protect and cultivate high-quality forest resources and improve soil and water conservation functions. As a result, the amount of trees cut down from feudal lords' forests dropped sharply, and the opportunities for farmers in the villages of the mountains to earn a living were reduced. Forest resources gradually recovered, but logging restrictions alone were not enough, so many feudal domains began to take a more proactive approach to resource development by introducing a share forest system in which peasants, local stipends, and subordinate vassals planted trees in the lord's forests and the profits were shared between the lord and the planters in a set proportion.

[Kato Eihiro]

"Outline of the Forestry System in the Tokugawa Period" edited by the Forestry Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (1954, Forestry Mutual Aid Association) " ▽ "Research on the History of Forestry in the Early Modern Period by Mitsuo Tokoro (1980, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

御林(おはやし)などと呼ばれた近世の領主林のうち、入山・伐採を厳格に禁止された山林のこと。近世初期の大建設時代、幕藩領主の囲い込んだ優良森林資源は、搬出可能な地域から大量に伐採され、寛文・延宝期（1661～1681）には資源桔渇状況に陥った。また、この時期は山野を対象とした耕地開発も進み、山野の水土保全機能が低下して、本田畑への災害を招くようになった。以後、享保期（1716～1736）頃までに、領主はこうした状況を解消するため、領主林については広く伐採禁止林（留山）を設定して優良森林資源を保護・育成するとともに、水土保全機能の向上に務めた。その結果、領主林からの伐採量は急減し、山元の村々では百姓の稼ぎの場が縮小した。森林資源は徐々に回復するが、伐採規制だけでは不十分であったため、領主林に百姓や地方給人(じかたきゅうにん)・陪臣(ばいしん)などが植林し、その収益を領主と植林者とが一定割合で分ける部分林(ぶわけばやし)制度の導入で、より積極的な資源育成に着手する藩が多かった。

［加藤衛拡］

『農林省山林局編『徳川時代に於ける林野制度の大要』（1954・林野共済会）』▽『所三男著『近世林業史の研究』（1980・吉川弘文館）』

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