Regulations.
"The following are examples, first, of the rules applying to the bungen (station in life) of a farmer of seventy-five to one hundred koku ($375 to $500), and, second, to that of a common farm-laborer:
I. For a Farmer of 100 Koku.
1. Such a farmer may build a house whose length is ten ken (about sixty feet), but there must be no parlor (zashiki), and the roof must not be tiled. If the householder wishes to tile the roof, to protect it against fires, he must first get permission.
2. On the occasion of a marriage of a son or daughter, the gifts of the householder must be limited to the following:
- Two nagamochi (a chest used for bed-clothes).
- One tansu (a chest of drawers).
- One tsuzura (a vine used in basket making).
- One hasami-bako (a case for scissors).
- A yuinō obi (a present, usually the sash called obi, exchanged
- at the time of the wedding).
- One sensu (a fan).
- One taru (a vessel containing wine).
- Surume (a kind of fish).
- Kobu (a kind of seaweed).
- Tai (a kind of fish, used on occasions of ceremony).
3. The viands on the wedding-day must be as follows:
(1) Zōni-zuimono (a kind of soup).
(2) The things placed on the honzen (a small table): (a) in the hira (one of the dishes), namasu (a kind of fish); (b) in the choku (the other dish), something roasted or broiled.
(3) Hikimono (viands taken home by each guest): (a) suimono (soup), two kinds; (b) torimono (a liquid), two kinds; (c) hikigashi (a kind of cake). These three kinds altogether must not make more than a small amount.
4. The family must never wear silk clothes. If a son or a daughter is to marry a person whose station allows the use of silk, the householder must request him not to use it on the occasion of the wedding.
5. No guests should be invited other than relations of the family, ko-bun (people who are under obligations to the householder for kindness received, and stand in the place of children), and a few of the most intimate friends. But this rule refers only to the day of the wedding.
6. At a wedding or New Year's call, the use of jū (lacquer boxes, containing confectionery, given as presents) is forbidden.
7. When a member of the family makes a visit to a relation or elsewhere, he should not carry valuable presents. When he is visiting a sick friend, he may take anything which happens to be at hand.
8. When there is death (fukō), and people come to the house on visits of condolence, no wine should be offered.
9. At a funeral (butsuji) wine should not be offered to the persons who follow to the grave.
10. On such occasions, the viands should be of five kinds only; but there should be no wine. If wine is offered, it should be given in soup-cups, not in wine-cups, nor should tori-zakana (a dish served only with wine) be prepared.
11. On the occasion of the birth of a first child (Uizan), the presents from the grandparents should be as follows only:
- A cotton garment.
- One set (four boxes) of jū.
- One taru.
- Viands.
From the other relations only small money-presents, if any should be sent.
2. When the child is taken to the mura (village) temple (the occasion called miya-mairi), jū may be offered to the grandparents, but not to others.
13. At the time of hatsu-bina (girls' festival), and hatsu-nobori (boys' festival), grandparents and other relations should not present hina and nobori (dolls and flags), the whole family should present a single kami-nobori (paper-flag) and two yari (spears), and relatives may also make small money-presents.
II. For the Bungen of a Farm-laborer.
1. The house may be five and a half ken (about thirty-two feet) in length, and the roof should be of straw or bamboo thatch.
2. The presents at a wedding may be:
3. At entertainments, one hira (dish) and one soup may be offered, but not in cups.
4. The collar and sleeve ends of the clothes may be ornamented with silk, and an obi (belt) of silk or silk crêpe may be worn, but not in public.
5. Hair ornaments should consist of norihiki and motoi, and nothing more.
6. Footwear should be narazōri (sandals made at Nara) not setta (sandals of iron and leather). Women are to wear bamboo-thonged sandals ordinarily, but at occasions of ceremony sandals with cotton thongs; men should wear only bamboo-thonged sandals on all occasions.
7. At the time of Uizan (birth of first child) the grandparents may send two jū (set of confectionery boxes), and money for rice and fish; other relations should send only money for fish.
8. At the time of hatsu-nobori, the grandparents may present a yari (spear), and at the time of hatsu-bina a kami-bina (paper doll), or tsuchi-ningyo (earthen doll).
"Accompanying these specific regulations, made with careful reference to each man's station in life, there were also general rules to meet unspecified contingencies. For example, only in case of absolute necessity could an umbrella be used by the ordinary laborer. He must usually content himself with the protection of a straw raincoat. Another provision related to costly articles which a family might happen to have. Special permission was necessary to make use of them, and no articles of luxury were to be used if on hand."[117]