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During the Edo period, this was a system for importing raw silk, mainly from China. It is more specifically called the Shiraito Warifu Shoho (White Thread Warifu Trading System). Once a year, the Itowarifu Nakama, designated traders by the shogunate, would purchase imported white silk (raw silk) in bulk at a fixed price determined through negotiations between their representative (Ito Toshiyori) and foreign merchants, and then sell it in installments among themselves or to licensed merchants designated by the shogunate. What foreigners at the time called pancado (Portuguese) or pancada (Spanish) was a collective transaction widely seen in Manila and elsewhere, and was not the Itowarifu system itself.

There are still many unknowns about the circumstances, purpose, and actual trading conditions of the Itowarifu system. Its origin is said to be that in 1604 (Keicho 9), Tokugawa Ieyasu issued a letter of intent to appoint influential townspeople in Sakai, Kyoto, and Nagasaki as Ito-doshiyori (Ito-doshiyori) regarding white thread carried by Portuguese ships, which accounted for the main part of the import value at the time, and forbade merchants from entering Nagasaki until the price of thread was decided through negotiations between them. However, there are various theories, such as whether this was simply a trade policy aimed at eliminating the profit monopoly of foreign ships such as Portugal, or whether it was a measure to suppress the power of churches such as the Society of Jesus, and there is no consensus. However, as part of the formation of the isolationist policy, in 1631 (Kan'ei 8), merchants from five places, including Edo and Osaka, were appointed as Itowarifu-nakama, and the system was also applied to Chinese ships in order to expand the distribution of thread to kimono makers and castle towns in nearby areas such as Hakata, and it was expanded to Dutch ships as well when the country was isolated. However, due to resistance from sellers such as emerging merchants and Zheng Chenggong against the special privileges of the several hundred itowarifu nakama, it was abolished in 1655 (Meireki 1) and replaced by city law trading. It was revived in 1685 (Jokyo 2) and continued until the end of the Edo period, but with the start of the 18th century, domestically produced Japanese silk increased and raw silk imports declined, and in the later period it became a mere nominal practice.

[Nakamura Shigeo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代の中国産糸を主とする生糸の輸入制度。詳しくは白糸(しらいと)割符商法という。輸入白糸（生糸）を、幕府の指名業者である糸割符仲間が、年1回、その代表者（糸年寄）と外国商人との折衝で決められた固定価格で一括購入し、これを仲間内や幕府指定の特許商人に分売した。当時の外国人がパンカドpancado（ポルトガル語）またはパンカダpancada（スペイン語）とよんだものは、広くマニラなどでもみられた一括取引の意味で、糸割符制そのものではない。

　糸割符制創設のいきさつ、目的、取引実態については、なお不明な点が多い。その起源として、1604年（慶長9）徳川家康が奉書を下して、当時輸入価額の主要部分を占めたポルトガル船舶載の白糸について、堺(さかい)、京、長崎の有力町人を糸年寄に定め、彼らの折衝による糸価決定まで、諸商人の長崎立入りを禁じたことがあげられる。しかし、それは単にポルトガルなど外国船の利益独占を排除することを目的とした貿易政策にすぎないのか、イエズス会をはじめとする教会勢力の抑制策であったか否かなど諸説があり、定説をみない。しかし鎖国形成の一環として、1631年（寛永8）江戸、大坂を加えた5か所の商人を糸割符仲間とし、また糸の配分を呉服師や博多(はかた)などの近国城下町にも広げるため、唐船にも制度を適用し、鎖国を機にオランダ船にも拡大した。しかし数百人の糸割符仲間の特権に対する、新興商人や鄭成功(ていせいこう)など売り手側の抵抗で、1655年（明暦1）にいったん廃止され、市法売買となった。1685年（貞享2）に復活され、幕末まで続いたが、18世紀に入ると国産の和糸が増加して生糸の輸入は衰退し、後期には名目だけのものとなった。

［中村　質］

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