JAPAN

Banknote

Hansatsu

Bingonokuni

Matsunaga

"Yoshiya Kerosene Note"　

5 Fun

(Pre-1867)

FRONT

・上灯油（High grade kerosene）

・価五分預（5 Fun）

・吉井店（Yoshiya, guarantor of this note）

・松永（Matsunaga）

・酉三百七十六（Issuance number 376）

🎃 A note issued by Yoshii Oil Store.

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🎃 Matsunaga in Bingo Province (Present-Day Eastern Hiroshima Prefecture) 🎃 

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　Matsunaga is located in the western part of present-day Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. During the Edo period (1603–1868), it developed into a prosperous town through the reclamation of coastal land and the production of salt.

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🎃 The History of Matsunaga

👻 Early Edo Period: Development of Salt Fields

　In 1660 (Manji 3), Honjo Shigemasa, a figure associated with the Fukuyama Domain, began a land reclamation project in the coastal waters off the villages of Kamimura and Yanazu.

　By 1667 (Kanbun 7), the development of the salt fields had progressed, and the name Matsunaga is said to have been given to the area around this time.

👻 Edo Period to the Meiji Period: The Growth of the Salt Industry

　Matsunaga produced salt using irihama-style salt fields, a traditional method of salt production that utilized tidal seawater.

　The town became one of the major salt-producing centers along the Seto Inland Sea, and its salt was shipped to distant markets. Large-scale salt distribution continued into the Meiji period (1868–1912).

👻 From the Meiji Period Onward: Development of the Wooden Footwear Industry

　In 1878 (Meiji 11), Maruyama Mosuke began manufacturing and selling wooden geta, traditional Japanese wooden sandals.

　The industry developed partly in connection with the availability of timber used as fuel for salt production. Matsunaga subsequently became nationally known as a center of wooden footwear manufacturing.

👻 Modern Era: Railway Development and Municipal Changes

　In 1891 (Meiji 24), the Sanyo Railway, now part of the JR Sanyo Main Line, opened a station in Matsunaga. The railway also facilitated the transportation of salt.

　In 1954, Matsunaga City was established. In 1966 (Showa 41), it merged with Fukuyama City and became part of present-day Fukuyama.

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🎃 The Origin of the Name Matsunaga

　According to local tradition, the name Matsunaga was derived from the expression Shoju Einen (松寿永年), conveying the wish for lasting prosperity and longevity, when the salt field development was completed in 1667.

　Another explanation associates the name with Matsuzaki, a coastal area belonging to Kamimura, as the newly developed land was located offshore from that area.

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🎃 What Was Matsunaga Like During the Edo Period?

　An important point when studying Matsunaga's history is that it was not simply an agricultural village. It was a commercially active area whose economy centered on salt production and distribution.

👻 Administrative location: Matsunaga Village, Numakuma District, Bingo Province.

👻 Ruling domain: Generally under the Fukuyama Domain, although some areas came under direct shogunate control during certain periods.

👻 Major industries: Salt production, salt trading, and transportation.

👻 Development: As the salt fields expanded, settlements grew, and Matsunaga developed into an organized town by 1667.

　Salt was an essential commodity for everyday life and was transported and sold in distant markets. The local economy was supported by salt-field operators, merchants, and people involved in transportation and distribution.

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