Relay system - Ekidensei

Japanese: 駅伝制 - えきでんせい

A transportation and communication system in which stations, or facilities for people, horses, and vehicles, were placed at appropriate intervals along roads extending from the center to the outskirts, and travel was conducted by passing between the stations. In premodern world history, when centralized states governing vast areas were established, a means of constant communication between the center and the regions was necessary to maintain control, including immediate response to invasions by foreign enemies and internal rebellions, and various forms of ekiden were generally established as systems. As such, since the ekiden system was originally a type of governing method in premodern times, it was generally placed under state control and not allowed for free use by private citizens, and it declined with the dissolution of state power.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中央から辺境にのびる道路にそい，適当な間隔で人･馬･車などを常備した施設すなわち駅を置き，駅を伝わって往来する交通･通信の制度。世界史上，前近代に広大な地域を支配する中央集権国家が成立すると，外敵の侵入や国内の反乱に直ちに対処するばあいを含め，支配維持のために中央と地方とを常時連絡する手段が必要となり，さまざまな形態の駅伝が制度として定められるのが一般であった。このように駅伝制はもともと前近代における支配手段の一種であったから，国家の管理下に置かれて民間の自由な利用は許さないのが原則であり，また国家権力の解体とともに衰退していった。

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

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