Japan

by Walter G. Dickson

There is an office for the exchange of notes or orders for officers. Banks and Daimios issue paper money, called tayngata, and also gin sats (silver card), kin satz (golden card). They are much used by the merchants in Osaka in business transactions.

Koora boonio.—Officers in charge of the rice storehouses belonging to government. These storehouses of rice are very large, as a great part of the pay of officers is given in rice. It is considered degrading to speak of paying money in salary. Even presents of money among the lower classes are always wrapped up in red paper neatly folded. A man is hired as servant for so much rice, known as footchi—i.e., rice given on hire; footchi is always given in addition to money, and it is proper to speak of footchi, not of money-hire. In Taikosama’s time one footchi was 10 ngo of rice; now it is only 5 ngo, or about 2 pounds. In speaking of a man’s income, if pioh (or piculs) are mentioned, rice is meant; but if koku, ground to the valued extent of production. Retainers are paid 30 piculs a year, and half a sho (1½ pounds of rice) per diem. In government payments the rice is measured in boxes, not weighed. The Chinese picul is equal to 133 pounds, but the Japanese was generally larger, and ranged from about 150 to 160 pounds. The koku, therefore, would be 450 to 500 pounds. According to Williams, it contains 5.13 bushels.

There are officers in charge of the oil and lacquer, and others over the working carpenters and masons. Others are over the government forests and trees, for superintending planting, cutting, etc. Special officers have charge of the Shiogoon’s pleasure barges on the river. A tax or license is imposed upon all boats plying on the river at Yedo, collected by another officer.

Tattame boonio.—Officer to look after the mats about the palace. The whole floor of the rooms of the palace is exactly covered by mats, each six feet long by three broad. These mats are two inches in thickness, and are made of straw tightly tied together by string. This is covered by a woven web of fine, long, strong, dried grass from the sea-coast. In the houses of all classes in Japan these mats are used, but in those of the wealthier classes they are very beautifully made, soft and pleasant to walk on for persons wearing stockings only, as is the custom. The reception room in the palace is called the Hall of a Thousand Mats. If there be such a room it would be 150 feet long by 120 wide; but as the partition walls in Japanese houses are, between many of the apartments, only light sliding screens, movable at pleasure, it may be easy to throw open a very large room in an extensive building such as the palace is.

There is a jeweler to the court, and auditors of accounts, who are also assayers or examiners of gold and silver.

There are teachers of riding to the Shiogoon, and veterinary surgeons and horsebreakers.

Katchi me tski.—A low class of spies. These are kept secretly by government, and are employed in nominal employments, in houses, shops, or wherever information is likely to be obtained. They are frequently grooms, as in this capacity they accompany their masters wherever they go. They write down whatever they hear or see that is suspicious: the thin paper partitions of the rooms give facility for this, as they have only to put the tongue against the paper and then push the finger through, when a hole sufficiently large is made, through which both to see and hear. If these men allow themselves to be detected by Samurais, or officers, no mercy is shown to them. If they have, as is generally the case, a sort of written commission, and this is found upon them, they are put to death and the paper is sent to the government. No notice is afterward taken of such a deed. It is looked upon as a dangerous profession, and they know the risk, but they are generally well paid. Daimios use them also. Mito had a man in 1862 in the employ of Ikeda, then governor of Yedo. He watched his master intriguing against his lord, and assassinated him. An officer was long in the employ of the British consulate at Yokohama who was in constant communication with the government.

There are officers, keepers of the stairs of the castle, and others who look after the fires and fireplaces.

Bowozu are young men who act as servants to guests or officers residing in the castle. It is not permitted to Daimios to bring their servants into the palace. They are waited on by the Bowozu. These men are said to be open to giving up to any one copies of any or all documents passing through the government offices on payment of a small sum—30 to 50 itzaboos per annum.

Officers are appointed for keeping the time by striking a large drum, and there are men who give signals by blowing a shell, such as is used generally for directing movements in warlike operations.