Basic research on the production and distribution of peasant seals in the early modern period

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03092
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: CHIBA Mayumi 茨城大学, 教育学部, 教授 (50396933)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 百姓印 / 印判師 / 近世 / 生産・流通 / 村落 / 都市

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to understand the production and distribution of seals in the early modern period, when seals became widely owned by the general public. Through the survey of historical documents in each region, we were able to accumulate data that confirmed the existence of seal makers in Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto. We were also able to obtain a rough understanding of the distribution of seals produced by seal makers. We also believe that the activities and distribution of seals produced by seal makers in Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto can be examined in terms of their regional characteristics. Further study will enable us to pursue the characteristics of early modern society, focusing on the movement of "goods" needed by the people in the early modern period.

Free Research Field

日本近世史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一般の民衆が広く印を所持するようになった近世の印については、研究上で意識はされつつ、また個別事例での考察はされているものの、継続的な検討が深まっていない状況であった。また印が誰によって製作されたものか、どのように流通していたのかについては、ほとんど論じられてこなかった。本研究では江戸・大坂・京都の印判師の存在に着目し、彼らが製作した印とその流通を把握できる史料を蓄積し、それぞれの地域における特質を検討することができた。百姓印のように民衆世界の中で共通に所有している「モノ」の流通を明らかにすることで、今後、生産・流通・消費の様相を総合的に検討する土台ができたと考える。