JAPAN

Banknote

hansatsu

Ominokuni

"Mizukuchi Domain Note"

Copper 200 Dō

( -1867)

FRONT

・価弐百銅（Denomination: 200 Dō）

・水口用限（Valid only in Minakuchi）

・勘定所（Accounting Office）

BACK

・価弐百銅（200 Dō）

・右〇手形引替相渡（The amount written on the right indicates the redeemable value of this bill）

・This bill was issued directly by the feudal lord himself and belongs to a type known as Daimyō-satsu.

・Since the Minakuchi Domain was rich in copper resources, its bills used copper as the unit of value.

・Two hundred Dō (200 Dō) was equivalent to about 3.8 liters of rice and represented roughly 600 grams of copper.

・The Minakuchi Domain is the only domain in Japan known to have issued bills denominated in copper.

・The Minakuchi Domain

1. Overview

　The Minakuchi Domain was a feudal domain located in Kōka District, Ōmi Province (present-day Minakuchi, Kōka City, Shiga Prefecture).

　It controlled Minakuchi-juku, a major post station along the Tōkaidō, one of the most important highways of the Edo period.

　Minakuchi was known for its unusually frequent changes of ruling families. Over the course of the Edo period, several clans governed the domain, including the Katō, Ogasawara, Aoyama, Honda, and finally the Torii clan, which ruled for more than 160 years until the Meiji Restoration.

　Under the Torii clan, the domain had a kokudaka of 35,000 koku.

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2. Historical Development and Changes in Rulers

1) Katō Clan (1601–1635)

　Katō Mitsushige, rewarded for his service at the Battle of Sekigahara, received the fief and founded the domain.

　Due to succession issues, the Katō were later dispossessed, and the domain temporarily returned to direct shogunate control.

2) Ogasawara → Aoyama → Honda Clans (1635–1682)

　Because Minakuchi was vital for traffic management on the Tōkaidō, the shogunate frequently reassigned fudai daimyō to administer the area.

　This period saw rapid turnover among ruling families.

3) Shogunate Territory (1682–1702)

　The domain had no lord and was governed directly by the bakufu.

　During this time, Minakuchi Castle—with its unusual “palace-like” layout—was further developed.

4) Katō Clan Again (1702–1711)

　Katō Akiyasu was granted the fief, but the family was transferred again after less than a decade.

5) Torii Clan (1711–1871)

　The Torii clan entered the domain with 35,000 koku and established a stable, long-term government.

　As trusted fudai lords, they were often assigned important duties near Kyoto, including security missions and political oversight.

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3. Economic Structure of the Domain

1) Foundation of the Domain Economy

　Minakuchi’s finances relied primarily on agricultural production:

• Rice (the main staple and tax base)

• Wheat and barley

• Soybeans and azuki beans

• Hemp (used for clothing and daily necessities)

　The soil in the Kōka area was relatively fertile, allowing for stable harvests and reducing the risk of severe famine—an economic advantage compared to some other domains.

Agricultural Improvements

　Throughout the Edo period, especially under the Torii clan, the domain invested in:

• Irrigation development

• Small-scale flood prevention projects

• New rice field development

• Lending tools and seed grain to farmers

　These efforts helped maintain agricultural productivity.

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2) Industries and Local Production

(1) The Post-Station Economy of Minakuchi-juku

　As a busy post town, Minakuchi-juku generated significant revenue:

• Inns and lodging houses

• Commercial shops

• Labor services (porters, horses)

• Transportation fees and taxes

• Daily trade associated with travelers

　Since the Tōkaidō saw constant traffic from merchants, officials, and samurai, Minakuchi benefitted from a steady and reliable cash economy.

(2) Handicrafts and Manufacturing

　Minakuchi and the broader Ōmi region were historically known for skilled craftsmanship.

Local industries included:

• Ceramics and tea utensils

• Lacquerware

• Woodwork (boxes, cabinets, daily-use goods)

　Proximity to Kyoto provided a active market for these products.

(3) Brewing and Soy Sauce Production

The domain also derived revenue from:

• Sake brewing

• Soy sauce production

　Producers paid taxes and fees, providing an important supplement to agricultural income.

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3) The Economic Impact of Transportation and Proximity to Kyoto

Minakuchi’s location was strategically advantageous:

• Constant flow of travelers on the Tōkaidō

• Revenue from lodging, shipping, and supply services

• Commercial activity stimulated by the presence of Minakuchi Castle and official missions

• Transactions with Kyoto merchants and artisans

This made the domain’s economy more diversified than those of isolated rural fiefs.

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4) Fiscal Challenges and Reforms

　Although Minakuchi was not a wealthy domain, it avoided extreme financial distress.

　By the late Edo period, however, rising costs required reforms.

Key Torii Clan Reforms

• Strict frugality policies

• Reduction of official expenditures

• Reorganization of stipends

• New rice field development

• Promotion of commercial crops (hemp, wood products)

• Use of domain paper money (hansatsu) to stabilize transactions

　These measures enabled the domain to avoid bankruptcy and sustain operations through the turbulent Bakumatsu years.

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4. Hansatsu (Domain Paper Money)

　Minakuchi issued hansatsu, which circulated actively due to the vibrant post-station economy.

Features

• Dyed backgrounds (blue, black) for anti-counterfeiting

• Multiple official seals

• Thick handmade paper uncommon in the period

• Used in place of silver and small-change currency

• Widely accepted in the domain due to the high commercial activity of Minakuchi-juku

　If needed, I can create a detailed standalone section on all types of Minakuchi hansatsu, including translations of inscriptions.

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5. End of the Domain

• In the late Edo period, Minakuchi performed security duties in Kyoto for the shogunate.

• In 1868, the Torii clan submitted to the new imperial government without bloodshed.

• In 1871, with the abolition of the domains, Minakuchi became Minakuchi Prefecture, later incorporated into Shiga Prefecture.

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