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Bakufu
The military government of the samurai was one of the most brutal and
oppressive regimes in history. Japan was a virtual police state with spies and
informants everywhere. Corruption was not unheard of, and daimyo desperate for
funds routinely squeezed the peasantry. It was the samurai who fought the wars,
achieved the peace, and eventually kept the status quo for two and a half
centuries, a duration of relative peace that is unmatched by any other civilized
nation.
The islands were ruled by a succession of hereditary Shogun "military
dictators." The last dynasty of the Tokugawa imperators were descendants of
a minor daimyo who reached the pinnacle through a thoroughly Darwinian selection
process.
It was the sole purpose of the Shogunal government to keep the peace and
continue their rule over the Empire.
As the government structure of individual daimyo fiefdoms during the Tokugawa
Era reflected the organization of the Shogunate, it is instructive to firstly see
the framework of the central bureaucracy, and then look at examples of han
government structure at a basic level.
The Tokugawa bureaucracy grew on an ad hoc basis, with permanent and
temporary offices added as needed. There were many offices with a prominent
daimyo holding most of the positions. The basic Bakufu hierarchy was as follows:
- Shogun -- Military dictator
- Tairo "Great Elder" -- Chief policy maker, presided over the
roju and served as temporary leader when the Shogun was not available.
- Roju "Council of Elders" -- Supervised relations with the
Imperial Court, heads of major temples, and daimyo. They also minted coins,
compiled maps, and kept government records. Originally there were two, then
five, then four, each serving a month at a time in rotation. Over time they
lost nearly all their power to the Tairo and others with personal influence
over the Shogun.
- Waka-doshiyori "Council of Junior Elders" -- Supervised the
hatamoto, craftsmen, physicians, public works, and vassals of the Shogun not
of daimyo class. Appointments were irregular and there were between four and
seven at a time. Also oversaw the activities of offices in the great castle
cities, including Kyoto and Osaka.
- Ometsuké "Great Inspectors-General" -- Investigated internal affairs of
government including daimyo. There were four ometsuké, and they reported to
the roju.
- Metsuké "Inspectors-General" -- Played the role of an intelligence agency.
Investigated instances of maladministration, corruption, or unrest anywhere
in the Empire, particularly among the populace below the daimyo. Reported to
the waka-doshiyori. At any given time there were as many as 24 metsuké.
- Bugyo "Commissioners"
- Jisha-bugyo "Commissioner of Temples and Shrines" -- Always
a fudai daimyo. The first was the legendary Ooka Tadasuké (1677-1752).
- Machi-bugyo "Town Magistrate" -- Municipal administrator
that played the roles of police chief, judge, and mayor.
Responsibilities included tax collection, policing, firefighting, and
hearing both civil and criminal cases. Usually a fudai daimyo, but it
was open to non-daimyo such as hatamoto. There were as many as 16
machi-bugyo in major cities throughout Japan.
- Kanjo-bugyo "Finance Commissioner" -- Usually a fudai
daimyo, and usually numbered five or six.
- Many other commissioners
- Kyoto Shoshidai -- Shogun's representative to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Ensured the safety of the Emperor and controlled access of the daimyo to the
Imperial Court. Oversaw the administration of Kyoto and the Court finances.
Visited Edo every five or six years to report directly to the Shogun.
- Hyojosho "Supreme Court of Justice" -- Made up of roju,
ometsuké, machi-bugyo, jisha-bugyo, and kanjo-bugyo. Responsibilities were
partially executive and partially judicial, and served from a chamber within
Edo Castle.
- Hatamoto "Banner Knights" -- Had the right to personal audiences
with the Shogun. There were two types: the kuramaitori were those who
received a stipend directly from the Bakufu, and the jikatatori were those
that held small fiefs throughout the Empire. The jikatatori had Sankin Kotai
duties like the daimyo, and over time they represented only about 10 percent
of the
total hatamoto. A 1722 estimate had hatamoto numbering about 5,000. Many
were involved in running martial arts dojo "schools."
- Gokenin "Household Vassals" -- Retainers who did not have the
right to an audience with the Shogun. The gokenin numbered around 17,000.
- Edo Police Force -- Consisted of yoriki "guards," doshin
"policemen," okappiki "patrollers," various district
supervisors, and bantaro "gatekeepers."
Yamanouchi Clan
Yamanouchi Kazutoyo was sent by the 1st Tokugawa Shogun Ieyasu to rule as
daimyo over the Tosa domain (242,000 koku) in Shikoku. Like the Bakufu the Yamanouchi clan followed the classic vertical hierarchy
with the daimyo at the top of the pyramid.
- Daimyo
- Bugyo "Cabinet of Superintendents"
- Karo "House Elder" -- Each daimyo had at least two: one in Edo
called Edo karo, and one in his domain called kunigaro, or jodai karo if he
was in charge of a castle. They usually paid no taxes to the daimyo.
- Shihaku "Direct Vassals"
- Chura -- Wore two swords, rode on horseback, and commanded a
small revenue-producing fief.
- Umamawari -- Were paid via a small personal fief.
- Koshogumi -- Were paid either via small personal fief or a stipend
by the daimyo.
- Rusuigumi -- Were paid a stipend by the daimyo.
- Goshi "Country Warriors"
- Keikaku "Country Gentry"
Okudaira Clan
The Okudaira clan of Nakatsu (Buzen -- 100,000 koku) consisted of about 1,500
samurai. They were divided into two categories, the upper and the lower, with
the lower being about three times the size of the upper.
- Kyunin "Upper Group"
- Daimyo
- Chief minister, chamberlain, steward
- Confucian scholars and physicians
- Koshogumi "Retainers of 1st rank"
- Kachi "Lower Group"
- Calligraphers and Accountants
- Tomokosho -- Daimyo's attendants and escorts
- Nakakosho -- Armorers, stable boys, grooms
- Kokyakunin or Kachi -- Guards
- Hirasamurai, ashigaru, kogashira, etc. -- Various foot soldiers
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