Benzashi

Japanese: べんざし

It is a word passed down in Kyushu coastal villages to refer to the leader of fishing operations or the head of a fishing net. It is mainly used to refer to the leader of a hatsuda net, but on Goshoura Island in Kumamoto Prefecture, the head of a beach seine net is also called benzashi. Meanwhile, in Obama, Nagasaki Prefecture, the head of a fishing net is called benzashi, and the fishing chief who goes out to sea and directs fishing is called okibenzashi, to distinguish them. Also, on Tanegashima, the fish inspector or the person who assists the fish inspector and takes the lead in fishing is called benzashi. Also, apart from the fishing organization, it is often used to refer to the village headman of a beach village.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

九州の海岸部の村で，漁労の指揮者あるいは網元などを指すことばとして伝承されている。主としてハツダ網の指揮者をこう呼んでいるが，熊本県御所浦島では地曳網の頭もベンザシと呼んでいる。一方，長崎県の小浜では，網元をベンザシ，海に出て漁労を指揮する漁労長をオキベンザシと区別して呼んでいる。また種子島では，魚見役（うおみやく）あるいは魚見役を補佐し，率先して漁労に従事する役目のものをベンザシと呼んでいる。また漁労組織とは別に，浜の村の庄屋に当たる者を呼ぶことも多い。

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