Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
(55) Coins. Gold: (1)
ōban
(2)
koban
(3)
ichibu kin
(4) other denominations. Silver: (5)
chōgin
(6)
mame-ita
(7) 5
monme
piece (8) other denominations. Copper: (9)
zeni
(10) un-
usual 100
zeni
coin
The ordinary person carried his
zeni
in a draw-purse that he kept in the bosom of his
kimono,
where it was safe and prevented from falling out by the girdle. Small pieces of sil-
ver were carried in the same way, but small amounts of gold were stowed in flat cases very
similar to the wallets used in the West for banknotes.
Paper money was in fact not used by the central authorities in Tokugawa Japan except
in the last year of its existence, but it was issued in some of the domains. Early in the Tok-
ugawa period, when the assumption of the sole right of coinage by the Edo government,
and the drain of species to foreign countries through Nagasaki, left the provinces short of
coins,notesexpressedingold,silver,orcoppervalueswereprintedandusedbythe
daimyō
to fulfill their obligations. Between 1701 and 1730 they were prohibited, but were in re-
stricted use again after that date.
In1701thereoccurredthefamousincidentwhenthelordoftheAkŌdomaininHarima
was provoked by an insult into drawing his sword in the Edo Palace. For this he was con-
demned to take his life, his estates being confiscated. After his death 47 of his retainers
