Magistrate of Nikko

One of the Edo Shogunate's distant province magistrates. It was responsible for guarding, repairing and administering the rites of Nikko Toshogu Shrine and other shrines, as well as governing and collecting the Nikko Shrine Land. Kaji Sadayoshi, the guardian of Mount Nikko since 1652 (Shoo 1), died in 1698 (Genroku 11), after which a metsuke (inspector) was dispatched, but in 1700 (Genroku 13) this was abolished and the Nikko Magistrate was established. It had a staff of two, with a six-month rotation (in 1790, a one-year rotation), governed by the senior councilors, with a salary of 2,000 koku and a fee of 500 straw. In 1791 (Kansei 3), Yamaguchi, Nikko's Mokudai, was dismissed for misconduct, and the Mokudai's control over the Shrine Land was subsumed into the Nikko Magistrate, who then directly governed the Shrine Land. His subordinates were the group leader (kumigashira) and deputy governor, the inspector (ginmiyaku), the group police officer, the ruling police officer, and under the group leader were the shinme betto (chief horse officer), the souji head, the Yamauchi Shichikashokubansho police officer, and the Osawa Gotenban. In 1868 (Meiji 1), the Shinryo was confiscated by the new government and came under the control of the Shimotsuke Prefectural Governor.

[Mizuo Ohno]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府遠国(おんごく)奉行の一つ。日光東照宮ほか堂社の警備・修復・祭祀(さいし)事務、日光神領支配・収納を行った。1652年（承応1）以来の日光山守護梶定良(かじさだよし)が1698年（元禄11）に死去、のち目付(めつけ)が派遣されたが、1700年（元禄13）これを廃止し日光奉行を創設した。定員2名で半年交代（1790年、1年交代）、老中支配、役高2000石・役料500俵。1791年（寛政3）不正のため日光目代(もくだい)山口氏が罷免され、目代の神領支配権は日光奉行に包摂、奉行が神領を直接支配することとなった。属僚は組頭(くみがしら)兼目代、吟味役(ぎんみやく)、組同心、支配同心、別に組頭配下に神馬(しんめ)別当、掃除(そうじ)頭、山内七ヶ所番所同心、大沢御殿番がある。1868年（明治1）神領は新政府に収公、下野(しもつけ)県知事支配となった。

［大野瑞男］

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