Yoriki - Yoriki

Also written as Yoriki. Originating in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, it became common during the Sengoku period, and refers to mounted warriors who accompanied samurai generals along with doshin (on foot). In the Edo Shogunate, they commanded doshin under various magistrates, Kyoto shoshidai, rusui, chief clerk, shoin clerk, and sakite gashira. Among them, the machi yoriki under the magistrates of Edo, Osaka, and other areas were famous. In 1745 (Enkyo 2), 25 mounted yoriki were attached to each of the northern and southern magistrates' offices of Edo. In addition to the general yoriki (150 to 200 koku, with an audience with the Emperor and lower ranks of rank), there were also internal yoriki (uchiyoriki/naiyoriki) who served as official servants and guides, and were appointed from the vassals of the town magistrate.

The Yoriki were powerful people who controlled the core of the magistrate's office, and although their status was a one-generational one, in reality it was hereditary like the Fudai. Their duties included the Nenbankata (finance, personnel), Ginmikata (investigation), Reigurikata (organization and investigation of legal precedents), Shacho Senyokata (selection of pardons), Shoshiki Shirabegakari (city inspection), Machibikeshi labor inspection, Machigaisho (town assembly hall), Honsho patrol, Roya patrol, Yojosho patrol, and other temporary duties and many other duties. Those who held important positions such as Tonenbankata (year guard) and Ganmikata (police inspector) were openly given gifts of money and goods by feudal lords, samurai vassals, and wealthy merchants, and their households were said to be wealthy. They lived in a group house (250-300 tsubo) in Hatchobori, Kyobashi (Chuo Ward, Tokyo), wore a hairstyle called Hatchobori Icho (ginkgo), and wore haori and hakama (Japanese formal trousers), and were called the "Danna-shu" of Hatchobori. Their wives and daughters were called "Okusama" (wife) in contrast to the lord (Yoriki was not of that rank).

[Kitahara Akio]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

寄騎とも書く。鎌倉・室町時代に起源をもち、戦国時代に一般化し、同心（徒歩(かち)）とともに侍(さむらい)大将などに付属した騎馬の士をいう。江戸幕府では諸奉行(ぶぎょう)、京都所司代(しょしだい)、留守居(るすい)、大番頭(おおばんがしら)、書院番頭、先手(さきて)頭などの配下にあって同心を指揮した。なかでも江戸、大坂その他の町奉行配下の町与力が有名である。1745年（延享2）江戸の南北両町奉行所には各25騎の与力が付属していた。この一般の与力（150～200石、御目見(おめみえ)以下、役上下(やくかみしも)）のほかに公用人・目安方(めやすがた)を勤める内与力(うちよりき／ないよりき)というものがあり、これには町奉行の家臣が任命された。

　与力は奉行所の中枢を掌握する実力者であり、身分は一代限りの抱席(かかえせき)であったが、実際には譜代(ふだい)同様に世襲された。その職掌には年番(ねんばん)方（財政、人事）、吟味(ぎんみ)方（詮議(せんぎ)役）、例繰(れいぐり)方（判例の整理、調査）、赦帳撰要(しゃちょうせんよう)方、市中取締諸色調掛(しょしきしらべがかり)、町火消(まちびけし)人足改(あらため)、町会所(まちがいしょ)掛、本所見廻(みまわり)、牢屋(ろうや)見廻、養生所見廻などがあり、このほかに臨時の分掌、多くの出役(でやく)があった。年番方、吟味方などの重要な役目を担当する者は、大名、旗本、富商から公然と金品が贈られ、家計は豊かであったという。京橋八丁堀（東京都中央区）の組屋敷（250～300坪）に住み、八丁堀銀杏(いちょう)という髪型を結い、羽織に袴(はかま)を着け、八丁堀の旦那(だんな)衆といわれた。その妻女は殿様（与力はその格式にない）に対する奥様の称でよばれた。

［北原章男］

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