Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
(17) Post-station, with travelers and scantily clad porters arriving. Sweaty bodies are
rubbed down and horses unloaded.
This authority was exercised in the towns through a system of magistrates and police.
In matters of administration the local organizations in the domains followed the model of
the central government in Edo, in the titles as well as in the functions of the officials, so
that a description of the system in Edo will serve for the whole country.
By 1631 this system had been built up to the pattern that was to persist throughout the
period. First, there were two
machi-bugyō,
“town magistrates,” who between them com-
bined what would now be the functions of chief of police, judge and mayor. They did not,
however, divide these functions between themselves, but each performed them all, being
ondutyforamonthandoffdutyforthenext.TheywereknownastheNorthandtheSouth.
This sort of duplication was typical of the Shogun's government: in his patient preoccupa-
tion with self-preservation he tried by every means to ensure that no possible rival gained
enough power to overthrow him. Each of the two magistrates was a check on the other and
neither had all the resources of his office in his own hand. Both had to sign reports sub-
mitted to the government, and one result of the dual system was that individual enterprise
was hampered. However, as the population of Edo increased with the tendency of people
to move in from the country whenever they could, the duties of the magistrate grew more
onerous, and he was glad to make full use of his month off duty to catch up with all the re-
