Naraya Mozaemon - Naraya Mozaemon

A lumber merchant from the Genroku period. He rose to wealth in one generation. His abbreviated name was Naramo. He was as famous as the wealthy merchant Kibun. His surname was Kanda, his given name was Katsutoyo, and after shaving his head he took the name Ankyu. Shigezaemon was a common name used by generations of his family, and Katsutoyo was the fourth. He is said to have made a fortune by taking on the task of procuring lumber during the repairs to Nikko Toshogu Shrine. After that, he rode the wave of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's politics, which saw him build temples and shrines in great numbers, and amassed great wealth as the shogunate's official lumber supplier. However, in 1710 (the 7th year of the Hoei era), the year after Shogun Tsunayoshi's death, he closed his lumber business and switched to renting out houses, which allowed him to live comfortably. He died on June 13, 4th year of Shotoku. His posthumous name was Kantoin Rakuyo Nishitani Ankyu Koji. His inheritance was over 132,000 ryo, broken down into 30 houses and properties (with a debt of over 44,000 ryo), about 48,000 ryo in cash, and 40,000 ryo in loans. His eldest and second sons, Hiroaki and Katsuya, squandered the enormous inheritance on entertainment, but unlike Kibun, he did not fall into complete ruin, and continued to maintain his dignity as a middle-class Edo townsman until the end of the Edo period.

[Makoto Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

元禄(げんろく)時代の材木商。一代で富豪に成り上がった。略称奈良茂(ならも)。豪商紀文(きぶん)と並び称された。姓は神田、名は勝豊、剃髪(ていはつ)して安休と号す。茂左衛門は代々の通称で、勝豊は4代目。日光東照宮修築の際、材木調達を請け負い、ぬれ手に粟(あわ)の大もうけをしたという。以後、寺社を盛んに建立した徳川綱吉(つなよし)政治の時流に乗り、幕府の材木御用達(ごようたし)として巨富を積んだ。しかし将軍綱吉が没した翌年の1710年（宝永7）には材木商を廃業、安楽に暮らせる貸家業に転じた。正徳(しょうとく)4年6月13日没。法名は還到院楽誉西谷安休居士。遺産は13万2000両余で、内訳は家屋敷30か所（沽券(こけん)高4万4000両余）、現金約4万8000両、貸金4万両。莫大(ばくだい)な遺産は長男広璘と次男勝屋が遊興にふけり散財したが、紀文のように完全には没落せず、幕末まで中流の江戸町人として面目を保ち存続した。

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