JAPAN

Banknote

hansatsu

Matama Note

7 Sen and 10 Momme

(pre-1867)

FRONT

・炭櫓預切手（Charcoal Warehouse Deposit Note）

・銀札引替所（Silver Note Exchange Office）

・七銭拾匁（7 Sen and 10 Momme）

・隠山（Kakureyama）

・蛭子屋（Ebisuya, guarantor of this note）

・酒場（Sake Tavern）

BACK

・豊後真玉夷（Matama Ebisu of Bungo Province）

【## Matama in the Edo Period】

　Matama, located in the western part of present-day Bungotakada City, formed part of Kunisaki District in Bungo Province during the Edo period (1603–1868). Facing the Suo Sea and backed by hilly terrain, the region developed a local economy supported by fishing, salt production, agriculture, and maritime transportation.

### Political Background

　During the Edo period, the Matama area was primarily under the jurisdiction of Kitsuki Domain, which was governed by the Matsudaira family, a hereditary vassal house of the Tokugawa shogunate. The domain controlled a large portion of the Kunisaki Peninsula.

　Although Matama was not a castle town, its location along important coastal transportation routes made it a significant settlement within the domain. Local villages were administered by officials such as shoya (village headmen) and kumigashira (group leaders), who were responsible for tax collection and coastal administration.

### Maritime Trade and Economy

　One of the defining characteristics of Matama's economy was its connection to maritime commerce in the western Seto Inland Sea region.

　Frequent trade and communication were maintained with communities across the Suo Sea, including present-day Shimonoseki, Hofu, and Yanai in neighboring provinces. Commodities such as rice, barley, soybeans, salt, and marine products were actively exchanged.

　Numerous small landing ports were located along the coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula, and Matama functioned as one of these local maritime centers. Such commercial activities encouraged the growth of regional merchant networks and later provided the economic foundation for the issuance of private notes and local credit instruments.

### Fishing and Salt Production

　Matama was well known for its fishing industry, which benefited from the shallow coastal waters of the Suo Sea.

　The principal catches included sea bream, sardines, horse mackerel, and Spanish mackerel. Salt production was also an important industry, and salt became one of the region's major commercial products. In addition to meeting local demand, it was distributed to surrounding areas and served as a valuable source of cash income.

### The Cult of Matama Ebisu

　One of the most distinctive features of the region was the worship of Matama Ebisu.

　Ebisu, traditionally regarded as the guardian deity of fishing, commerce, and maritime safety, was particularly important to the fishermen and merchants living along the coast of the Suo Sea. The cult of Matama Ebisu became well known throughout the surrounding region.

　The worship of Ebisu was not merely a religious practice; it was also closely connected with local systems of commercial trust and credit. During the late Edo period, many shrines and merchant organizations throughout Japan sponsored the issuance of privately circulated notes. Notes bearing the name "Matama Ebisu" are believed to have derived part of their credibility from this established religious and commercial network.

### Financial Activity in the Late Edo Period

　During the closing decades of the Edo period, shortages of official coinage and disruptions in monetary circulation became increasingly common throughout Japan.

　Under these circumstances, various forms of privately issued notes, deposit certificates, and exchange notes circulated in Bungo Province, including the Matama region. These instruments were often backed by merchant associations, religious institutions, or local communities and served as substitutes for official currency in regional commerce.

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