JÅkamachi
Jokamachi, (Japanese城 下町, literally " city below the castle ", also called " castle city " ) is the name of during the Edo period as the administrative center of a fief ( han ) serving cities in Japan. It did not have any Jokamachi - contrary to the wording of the term - actually have a castle [Note. 1] [note 2]
History
Fortifications and cities existed in Japan since the 4th century AD, the development of castle towns as administrative centers is, however, a development of the Sengoku period.
From 1500 the first Jokamachi the Sengoku daimyo, in which merchants, craftsmen and Samurai settled emerged. The quarters of the social groups were not separated. There was no regular allotment. Many were only temporary settlements, disappeared after a few years and were built on another site. Few Jokamachi recognized as the seat of a larger Daimyōverbandes a continuous development such as Kasugayama that with about 30,000 inhabitants was the largest city in Japan next to Kyoto in 1570.
1580 prompted Toyotomi Hideyoshi daimyo allied with him in their provinces only one to maintain a castle or to build a new central location. In 1585 the country was re-measured and the Taxes have been set for the fields depend on the quality and productivity of the soils. 1590 the class system of the Shi -no- kō - shō was committed. The ownership of the land was transferred to the daimyo and their income tied to the determined tax rate they ruled the country. Since that time the term daimyo includes a territorial ruler with an income of at least 10,000 koku per year. The 30 richest daimyo had an income between 120000-1200000 Koku in the 100 poorest, however, could only have 10000-35000 Koku. The peasants were disarmed and forced to live on the land. The samurai who had been professional soldiers, was given to the establishment of their state to settle as followers of the daimyo in the city. Merchants and artisans, who should ensure equipment and supplies of the troops were kept with tax privileges and protection from competition clauses in the cities. The operation of shops outside the cities was forbidden.
1601/ 02 found in all parts of the existing power relations through the construction of cities according to the Koku - income expressed. Daimyo, which had in their home provinces could prevail, expanded their existing for centuries castles and expanded the existing settlements to large Jokamachi. Hideyoshi's followers who had been able to keep, built in the remote provinces new Jokamachi. Family members and loyal vassals of the Tokugawa founded within the extended power range of the Tokugawa new Jokamachi.
The gentlemen of the newly founded cities changed partly repeated daimyo were added or discontinued. If a daimyo staggered, took off the entire samurai population. If the income of the daimyo reduced, samurai had to retire from the service and were ronin. Some cities were planned as major centers, but then equipped with a lower income: For example, Takada was founded with an income of 450,000 koku, and had to later, in 1650, be content with 150,000 koku, which meant that some planned city district remained undeveloped. Smaller Jokamachi were repeatedly abandoned with the change of government, but others established in new locations.
In 1614 there were, with the assurance of the supremacy of the Tokugawa, 186 Jokamachi. At the end of the Edo period in 1868, are counted according to different references 254-276. Over time, there were a total of 453 cities which had been referred to one time or another as Jokamachi. Of these, there were around 1970 114 greater than, 174 as smaller towns and 165 villages as.
Position and attachment
In order to secure the rule of the Bakufu over the country, the troops of the daimyo had short notice and be used over long distances, therefore, the selection of the locations of Jokamachi after nationwide strategic point of view: they had to be integrated into the national transport network, while their supply from can ensure the surrounding area. The castles and their towns were no longer lie off ( for defensive purposes ), but had to be able to determine what is happening in the region through its location, while allowing for control over important roads or highways. Among themselves they were economically isolated, however, all such activities outside the boundaries of the fief had to be handled via Osaka. As a location for the Jokamachi sites were preferentially selected, and the same time gave him an increased space for one, two or even three rivers surrounded castle sufficient settlement area for the population. At their plant was taken to ensure that the country roads through the district of merchants and craftsmen ( Chonin ) run. On one hand, this was a thriving industry, on the other hand as well as a protective measure in the event of an attack: An enemy would always be first fed into the quarters of the simple urban population.
Basically had the Jokamachi the first phase, all two types of fasteners: the structured into three sections castle area which was usually attached with stone walls and wide ditches and was not inhabited except for the daimyo and his family. For this purpose, the entire city was surrounded by a ditch or embankment. Only two or three gates led into the city and out, so that at any time access to the city and the traffic could be controlled. In Jokamachi that were founded in the latter part of the Edo period, was dispensed with the outer ramparts, as they had proved well for military as superfluous.
Layout and Organization
Jokamachi that are new or rebuilt shortly before and during the Edo period, differed from Stadtbauten the previous time the fact that they were systematically applied in blocks with a rectangular street system and taking into account the condition system. They have their antecedents in the Jinaimachi (寺内 町, dt temple towns ) of the 14th century. Cities that had arisen within monasteries, and equalized in the type of street layout and block division later Jokamachi.
Around the center, the castle or residence of the daimyo, the samurai quarters of affiliated ( Samuraimachi ). Just around the castle area around the Samurai were upper and settled middle-ranking. Frequently, this area was separated by walls and moats of the other neighborhoods. Outside of these areas were the quarters of the ashigaru, samurai of the lowest rank, to which all vassals of the daimyo included such as gunsmiths, Falkner and ship captains. In this area also housed the servants of the samurai. Then there were the plots for the stables and warehouses. Exceptions to this strict separation there could be in smaller Jokamachi, lived there only the upper samurai directly to the castle, the other samurai and the Chonin contrast, in close proximity.
The quarters of merchants and artisans joined ( Chōninmachi ) To the samurai district. At the periphery of the cities were areas for temples and monasteries provided ( Teramachi ). The priests were housed near the temple or had their own quarters. In some cases, if the income of the fief was increased significantly as in the case Hikones (from 180,000 to 310,000 koku ), more Samuraimachi were attached to these external Chōninmachi that were inhabited by ashigaru.
Within the Chōninmachi the population was organized by occupations in city blocks. Several blocks formed a neighborhood that was defined by gates from the other districts. These gates were closed at night and could not be happening, or only with special permission. A move within a city to another district was only possible if all the inhabitants of another district agreed, the same was true when buying or selling a house.
Designated entertainment district ( Hanamachi ), as in Edo, Osaka and Kyoto, there was not in the Jokamachi. Except in the three cities mentioned there was during the Edo period, only in 21 other cities a total of 22 licensed brothels (two of them in Nagasaki ), but did not form a separate district. Individual entertainment cities as well as smaller theater there has been beyond, but they were like the bathhouses and the living cities of the Eta and Hinin not shown separately from the Chōninmachi.
The population of the Jokamachi was more or less depending on the level of income, which was assigned the fief from the Bakufu. Direct dependent, the number of samurai. For example, are named for Hikone in the year 1695 19.000 Samurai at 310,000 koku income and Akita in 1747 17,000 Samurai at 205,000 koku income. The number of Chonin to stand approximately in the ratio 1:1, but could vary depending on the economic development of the fief in individual cases. Based on the mentioned cities Hikone there were 15,000 Chonin and in the case Aktias 21,000.
The allocated plot size for a Samurai was based on its income and thus according to his rank. The income could be between 1000 Koku for the most senior and 40 Koku for the simple vassals. As a 2000 m² plot sizes at 300 and 1000 m are indicated at 100 koku. The Chonin there were no major differences of rank, their assigned plots sizes differed only slightly; the plots were generally 25-35 m deep and 5-12 m wide. In addition to the size of property and the house size and the number of storeys them was about prescribed and deviations were not tolerated.