Cotton seat

Japanese: 綿座 - わたざ

A troupe that sold cotton. In 1343 (Kokoku 4/Koei 2) during the Nanboku-cho period, the Watamotoza, which belonged to Gion-sha Shrine, was located in Sanjo-cho and Shichijo-cho in Kyoto, and absorbed cotton merchants in Nishiki-koji-cho, which was attached to the Shifu Kagosho-cho troupe, and added them to the main troupe. It is therefore believed that the sales monopoly of the Watamotoza of Gion-sha Shrine had been established by this time. Also in the same year, a new group of scattered merchants who were selling cotton on the street called themselves the Watashinza, and a fierce dispute arose with the main troupe, after which the Niiza was recognized, but at this time the number of merchants in the Niiza had reached 64. Both the Watamotoza and the Niiza merchants were Shinto priests of Gion-sha Shrine, and they secured their monopoly by offering rice as a sacred offering to the gods at the Gion Festival in June every year and paying a business tax.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

綿を販売する座。南北朝期の1343年(興国4∥康永2)，京都では祇園社に属する綿本座が三条町と七条町にあり，四府駕輿丁座付属の錦小路町の綿商人を吸収し，本座に加えている。したがってこのころまでに祇園社の綿本座の販売独占権が確立していたと考えられる。また同年，振売を行っていた新興の散在商人が綿新座を称して，本座と激しい争論をおこし，新座も承認されるが，このときの新座商人は64人に上っている。綿本座･新座商人はともに祇園社の神人であり，毎年6月の祇園会には神供米を献上，営業税を納めて独占権を確保していた。

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

<<: Wada Sakemori - Wadano Sakamori

>>: Wada Koremasa