Fundamental Study on Families of Rounin (Samurai without a master to serve),Goushi, and Jizamurai (Dominant local samurai),Marginal Social Status, in Early Modern Japan

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23520802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIDA YURIKO 東京外国語大学, 大学院総合国際学研究院, 教授 (50196888)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 身分的中間層 / 侍 / 郷士 / 浪人・牢人 / 兵農分離 / 家 / 由緒 / 地侍

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the early modern Japan, there was not only a separation of social roles such as samurai or farmer, but also the division of residential area, the former in castle town while the latter in village. However, “ronin” (samurai without a master to serve), “goushi” and “ji-zamurai”, who belonged in the marginal social status, were living actually in the rural area. And they left documents of family pedigree or biography which reveal the self-knowledge about their unique social status. Now, the subject of this research is several families in Ina Country, Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture) and the Kawashima family in Kadono Country of Yamashiro Province (Kyoto Prefecture). This research reveals that; only the presentations of their self-knowledge and a distinction between samurai and farmers are not enough to elucidate an act of description about their family history. This indicates rather their doubts about their marginal “status”, in other words, the “heinoubunri” system.

Free Research Field

日本近世史