Elderly caretaker - Roju

A job title in the Edo Shogunate. It was called Toshiyori, Hosho Renpan, Kahan no Retsu, etc. In contrast to the Wakadoshiyori, who were in charge of governing the Shogun's household, the Toshiyori were in charge of governing the whole country, with a focus on governing the daimyo. It originated from the Toshiyori and Bugyo, who had been in place since the Tokugawa daimyo, and the duties were organized during the reign of the third Shogun, Iemitsu. In the "Oboe" of 1634 (Kan'ei 11), it is written:
1. The affairs of the Imperial Court and the nobles and their head priests,
1. The Kunimochishu (Kunimochi-shu) are the head daimyo of a feudal lord with a fief of 10,000 koku or more, and handle lawsuits.
Regarding the seal of the said document,
1. Matters concerning the duties of the magistrates in charge of the treasury
1. Regarding the payment of gold and silver and the major errands to be carried out by the Emperor.
The construction of large-scale buildings and temples and pagodas,
1. Regarding the division of lands,
1. Temple and shrine matters,
Foreign affairs,
1. The matter of the illustrations of the various countries, the matter of the court proceedings of the right-hand men,
It says: In 1649 (Keian 2), the Rokuninshu (later equivalent to the Wakadoshiyori) were abolished and their duties were combined, but in 1662 (Kanbun 2) during the reign of the 4th Shogun Ietsuna, the Wakadoshiyori was established and the division of duties and administrative positions were determined anew, which continued until the end of the Edo period. The maximum number of members was 4-5, and minor matters were handled on a monthly rotation (one member rotated each month), and major matters were handled by a council, with one member designated as the Katte-gakari (in charge of finances). In 1867 (Keio 3), the monthly rotation system was abolished and the division of duties was established as Chief Domestic Affairs Officer, Chief Accountant, Chief Foreign Affairs Officer, Chief Army Officer, and Chief Navy Officer. They were appointed by fudai daimyo (Teikan no ma or Karinomazume) with stipends of around 30,000 to 120,000 koku, who held positions such as Kyoto Shoshidai, Osaka Castle Daiji, Sobayonin, Wakadoshiyori, Sojaban and Temples and Shrines Magistrate, and conducted government affairs in the official room in the Nakaoku district of the castle.

[Kitahara Akio]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府の職名。年寄(としより)あるいは奉書連判(ほうしょれんぱん)、加判(かはん)の列(れつ)などという。将軍家中の支配を担当した若年寄(わかどしより)に対し、大名支配を軸に全国の支配を担当した。大名徳川氏以来の年寄、奉行(ぶぎょう)に起源し、3代将軍家光(いえみつ)期に職掌が整えられた。1634年（寛永11）の「覚(おぼえ)」には、
　一　禁中并公家門跡衆(きんちゅうならびにくげもんぜきしゅう)之事、
　一　国持衆(くにもちしゅう)総大名壱万石以上御用、并御訴訟之事、
　一　同奉書判形(はんぎょう)之事、
　一　御蔵入(おくらいり)代官方之御用之事、
　一　金銀納方(おさめかた)并大分御遣(だいぶなるおつかい)方之事、
　一　大造(たいぞう)之御普請(ごふしん)并御作事(ごさくじ)堂塔御建立(ごこんりゅう)之事、
　一　知行割(ちぎょうわり)之事、
　一　寺社方之事、
　一　異国方之事、
　一　諸国絵図之事、右之条々御用之儀并訴訟之事、
とある。1649年（慶安2）六人衆（後の若年寄に相当）が消滅し、その職掌をあわせたが、4代将軍家綱(いえつな)期の1662年（寛文2）に若年寄が設置され、あらためて分掌事項、支配の役職が定められて幕末に至った。4～5人を定員とし、小事は月番制（毎月1人ずつ交代）で総理し、大事は合議制によったが、うち1人を勝手掛(かってがかり)（財政担当）とした。1867年（慶応3）月番制を廃し、国内事務総裁、会計総裁、外国事務総裁、陸軍総裁、海軍総裁の分掌制となった。京都所司代(しょしだい)、大坂城代、側用人(そばようにん)、若年寄、奏者番(そうじゃばん)兼寺社奉行などの役職にある3万石から12万石ほどの譜代(ふだい)大名（帝鑑間(ていかんのま)・雁間詰(かりのまづめ)）から補任(ぶにん)され、城中は中奥(なかおく)の御用部屋で政務をとった。

［北原章男］

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