Fusaka oil seat

Japanese: 符坂油座 - ふさかあぶらざ

In the Middle Ages, the oil za flourished under the protection of Daijo-in Temple at Kofuku-ji Temple, centered around Fusaka (currently near Aburasaka-cho, Nara City). The zashu held the status of both yoriton (serving the head priest of Daijo-in Temple) and hakujinjinin (white priests) who were engaged in such activities as the sacred tree pilgrimage of Kasugasha Wakamiya Shrine, and had already been granted privileged business practices since the Kamakura period. They also played the role of oil monshoku and monmaru (monmon) at Todai-ji Temple, and sometimes also acted as oil monmaru (monmon) at Hokke-ji Temple and Hasedera Temple in Kizu. The zashu's privileges included the right to purchase nuts and perilla seeds produced throughout Yamato, especially in Minami-Yamato (Yoshino region), as well as sesame seeds from Kawachi and Kii, and perilla seeds sold by the Yagi Nakakai-za, as well as the exclusive right to manufacture and sell kerosene.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中世，符坂の地(現，奈良市油阪町付近)を中心に，興福寺大乗院に保護されて繁栄した油座。この座衆は大乗院門跡に奉仕する寄人と春日社若宮の神木帰座などに従事する白人神人（はくじんじにん）の身分を兼ね，すでに鎌倉時代から特権的営業を認められていた。ほかに東大寺油問職･問丸の役割も果たし，木津の法華寺や長谷寺の油問丸を兼ねたこともある。座衆の特権は，大和一円，とくに南大和(吉野地方)に産する木実，エゴマ，および河内や紀伊のゴマ，あるいは矢木仲買座が販売するエゴマの仕入権と，灯油の製造･販売の独占権であった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Scorpionfish (Total cap) - Scorpionfish

>>: Buzaemon Ikki - Buzaemon Ikki