Bugyo
Encyclopedia
, often translated as "commissioner" or "magistrate" or "governor," was a title assigned to government officers in pre-modern Japan
; other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given commissioner's tasks or jurisdiction.
(794–1185), the post or title of bugyō would be applied only to a set task; once that task was complete, the officer would cease to be called bugyō. However, in the Kamakura period
(1185–1333) and later, continuing through the end of the Edo period
(1603–1868), posts and title came to be created on a more permanent basis. Over time, there came to be 36 bugyō in the Kamakura bureaucracy.
In 1434, Ashikaga Yoshinori
established the Tosen-bugyō to regulate foreign affairs.
In 1587, a Japanese invading army occupied Seoul; and one of Hideyoshi's first acts was to create a bugyō for the city, replicating a familiar pattern in an unfamiliar setting.
, the offices and conventional practices remained in place during the initial period when nothing else had been contrived to replace the existing Tokugawa system. For example, the commander-in-chief of artillery under the early Meiji government was called the Hohei-bugyō.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given commissioner's tasks or jurisdiction.
Pre-Edo period
In the Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
(794–1185), the post or title of bugyō would be applied only to a set task; once that task was complete, the officer would cease to be called bugyō. However, in the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
(1185–1333) and later, continuing through the end of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
(1603–1868), posts and title came to be created on a more permanent basis. Over time, there came to be 36 bugyō in the Kamakura bureaucracy.
In 1434, Ashikaga Yoshinori
Ashikaga Yoshinori
was the 6th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1429 to 1441 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshinori was the son of the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.-Shogunal succession:...
established the Tosen-bugyō to regulate foreign affairs.
In 1587, a Japanese invading army occupied Seoul; and one of Hideyoshi's first acts was to create a bugyō for the city, replicating a familiar pattern in an unfamiliar setting.
Edo period
During the Edo period, the numbers of bugyō reached its largest extent. The bureaucracy of the Togukawa shogunate expanded on an ad hoc basis, responding to perceived needs and changing circumstances.List
- Edo machi-bugyōEdo machi-bugyowere magistrates or municipal administrators with responsibility for governing and maintaining order in the shogunal city of Edo. They were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyo, but this was amongst the senior...
(江戸町奉行) – Magistrates or municipal administrators of EdoEdo, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
.- Kita-machi-bugyō (北町奉行) – North Edo magistrate.
- Minami-machi-bugyō (南町奉行) – South Edo magistrate.
- Fushin-bugyōFushin bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer."...
(普請奉行) – Superintendents of Public Works. - Gaikoku-bugyō (外国奉行) – Commissioners in charge of trade and diplomatic relations with foreign countries after 1858.
- Gunkan-bugyōGunkan-bugyo, also known as kaigun-bugō, were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."This bakufu tile identifies an...
(軍鑑奉行) – Commissioners in charge of naval matters (post-1859). - Gusoku-bugyōGusoku-bugyōThe was a government office under Japan's Tokugawa shogunate, concerned with the armament of the Shogun's soldiers.The office was established in 1604; however, this office was known as bugu-bugyō after 1863.-References:...
(具足奉行) – Commissioners in charge of supplying the shogunal armies.- Bugu-bugyō (武具奉行) – Commissioners in charge of supplying the shogunal armies (post-1863), replaced Gusoku-bugyō.
- Hakodate bugyōHakodate bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(箱館奉行) – Overseers of the port of HakodateHakodate, Hokkaidois a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan...
and neighboring territory of EzoEzois a Japanese name which historically referred to the lands to the north of Japan. It was used in various senses, sometimes meaning the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō, and sometimes meaning lands and waters further north in the Sea of Okhotsk, like Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands...
. - Haneda bugyōHaneda bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."This office was created in 1842....
(羽田奉行) – Overseers of the port of HanedaOta, Tokyois one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 676,458, with 348,492 households, and a population density of 11,376.69 persons per km²...
; commissioners of coastal defenses near Edo (post-1853). - Hyōgo bugyōHyogo bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(兵庫奉行) – Overseers of the port of Hyōgo (post-1864). - Jisha-bugyōJisha-bugyowas a "commissioner" or an "overseer" of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were always fudai daimyō, the lowest-ranking of the shogunate offices to be so restricted...
(寺社奉行) – Ministers or administrators for religious affairs; overseers of the country's temples and shrines. - Jiwari-bugyōJiwari-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan.This bakufu title identifies an official with responsibility for surveying land.-References:* Naito, Akira, Kazuo Hozumi, and H. Mack Horto. . Tokyo: Kodansha. 10-ISBN 4-770-02757-5...
(地割奉行)- Commissioners of surveys and surveying. - Kanagawa bugyōKanagawa bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. This office was created on July 3, 1859, when five fudai daimyō were appointed. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."...
(神奈川奉行) – Overseers of the port of Kanagawa (post-1859). - Kanjō-bugyōKanjo-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."...
(勘定奉行) – Ministers or administrators for shogunal finance (post-1787).- Gundai – Deputies.
- Daikan (代官)- Assistant deputies.
- Kane-bugyōKane-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate with responsibility for financial accounting or tax administration.The manner of paying taxes varied according to locality. In the Kantō, payments were generally made in rice for wet fields and in gold for uplands...
(金奉行) – Superintendents of the Treasury. - Kura-bugyōKura-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate with responsibility for supervising cereal storehouses and accounting for rice received in payment of imposed taxes....
(倉庫奉行) – Superintendents of Cereal Stores. - KinzaKinza (gold monopoly)was the Tokugawa shogunate's officially sanctioned gold monopoly or gold guild which was created in 1595.Initially, the Tokugawa shogunate was interested in assuring a consistent value in minted gold coins; and this led to the perceived need for attending to the supply of gold.This bakufu title...
(金座) – Gold zaZa (guilds)The ' were one of the primary types of trade guilds in feudal Japan.- Origins and purpose:They grew out of protective cooperation between merchants and temples and shrines; merchants would travel and transport goods in groups, for protection from bandits and the vacillating whims of samurai and...
or monopoly office (post-1595). - GinzaGinza (silver monopoly)was the Tokugawa shogunate's officially sanctioned silver monopoly or silver guild which was created in 1598.Initially, the Tokugawa shogunate was interested in assuring a consistent value in minted silver coins; and this led to the perceived need for attending to the supply of silver.This bakufu...
(銀座) – Silver za or monopoly office (post-1598). - DōzaDoza (copper monopoly)was the Tokugawa shogunate's officially sanctioned copper monopoly or copper guild which was created in 1636 and ....
(銅座) – Copper za or monopoly office (post-1636) and (1701–1712, 1738–1746, 1766–1768). - ShuzaShuza (cinnabar monopoly)was the Tokugawa shogunate's officially sanctioned cinnabar monopoly or cinnabar guild which was created in 1609.Initially, the Tokugawa shogunate was interested in assuring a consistent value in minted coins; and this led to the perceived need for attending to the supply of cinnabar.This bakufu...
(朱座) – Cinnabar za or monopoly office (post-1609).
- Kanjō-gimmiyaku – Comptrollers of Finance.
- Kantō gundai – Kantō deputies.
- Kinzan-bugyōKinzan-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan.This bakufu title identifies an official with responsibility for superintending all mines, mining and metals-extraction activities in Japan.-See also:* Bugyō...
(金山奉行) – Commissioners of mines. - Kyoto shoshidaiKyoto ShoshidaiThe was an important administrative and political office in the early modern government of Japan. However, the significance and effectiveness of the office is credited to the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, who developed these initial creations as bureaucratic elements in a consistent and...
(京都所司代) -- Shogunal representatives at Kyoto.- Kyoto machi-bugyōKyoto machi-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(京都町奉行) – Magistrates or municipal administrators of KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. - Fushimi bugyōFushimi bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(伏見奉行) – Magistrates or municipal administrators of FushimiFushimiFushimi can refer to:*Emperor Fushimi of Japan*Fushimi, Kyoto, a ward of Kyoto City*Fushimi-no-miya, a branch of the Japanese Imperial Family...
(post-1620). - Nara bugyōNara bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(奈良奉行) – Governors of NaraNara, Narais the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
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- Kyoto machi-bugyō
- Machi-bugyōMachi-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(町奉行) – Magistrates or municipal administrators in shogunal cities: Edo, Kyoto, Nagasaki, NaraNara, Narais the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Nikkō, and OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. - Nagasaki bugyōNagasaki bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(長崎奉行) – Governor of Nagasaki. - Niigata bugyōNiigata bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(新潟奉行) – Overseers of the port of NiigataNiigata, Niigatais the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
. - Nikkō bugyōNikko bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(日光奉行) – Overseers of NikkōNikko, Tochigiis a city in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Approximately 140 km north of Tokyo and 35 km west of Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture, it is a popular destination for Japanese and international tourists...
. - Osaka jōdaiOsaka jodaiwere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were exclusively fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."...
(大阪城代) – Overseers of Osaka CastleOsaka Castleis a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...
.- Osaka machi-bugyōOsaka machi-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(大阪町奉行) – Magistrates or municipal administrators in shogunal cities like OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. - Sakai bugyōSakai bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."...
(堺奉行) – Overseers of the town of SakaiSakai, Osakais a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...
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- Osaka machi-bugyō
- Rōya-bugyō (牢屋奉行) – Commissioners of the shogunal prison.
- Sado bugyōSado bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate. This commissioner was responsible for administration of the mining operations at Sado.Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō, but this was amongst the senior administrative posts open to those who were not daimyō...
(佐渡奉行) – Overseers of the island of SadoSado, Niigatais a city located on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, in the Chūbu region of Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area of 855.26 km2 is urbanized...
. - Sakuji-bugyōSakuji-bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate having responsibility for architecture and construction matters.Appointments to this prominent office were usually fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer."The office was created on the...
(作事奉行) – Commissioners of works (post-1632). - Shimoda bugyōShimoda bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate These bakufu appointees were responsible for administration of the port of Shimoda and foreign trade in the area....
(下田奉行) – Overseers of the port of ShimodaShimoda, Shizuokais a city and port in Shizuoka, Japan.As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 25,054 and a population density of 242 persons per square kilometer...
. - Sunpu jōdaiSunpu jodaiwere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate with responsibility for holding and defending Sunpu Castle , also called Shizuoka Castle.Appointments to the prominent office of castle warden at Shizuoka were exclusively fudai daimyō. Conventional interpretations have construed this Japanese titles as...
(駿府城代) – Overseers of Sunpu CastleSunpu Castlewas a Japanese castle in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. The sobriquet of this feudal fortress was the "Castle of the Floating Isle." It was also referred to as or .-History:...
. - Uraga bugyōUraga bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate with responsibility for administration of the port of Uraga, which was a port of inspection for Japanese coastal vessels, especially those proceeding to Edo....
(浦賀奉行) – Overseers of the port of UragaUragais a subdivision of the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located on the south eastern side of the Miura Peninsula, at the northern end of the Uraga Channel, at the entrance of Tokyo Bay.-History:...
. - Yamada bugyōYamada bugyowere officials of the Tokugawa shogunate with responsibilities as an official representatives of the shogunate in Ise. Conventional interpretations have construed these Japanese titles as "commissioner" or "overseer" or "governor."-List of Yamada bugyō:...
(山田奉行) -- Representatives of the shogunate at IseIse Provinceor was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
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Meiji period
In the early years of the Meiji RestorationMeiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, the offices and conventional practices remained in place during the initial period when nothing else had been contrived to replace the existing Tokugawa system. For example, the commander-in-chief of artillery under the early Meiji government was called the Hohei-bugyō.