The political system of the Edo period was the bakuhan system, shogunate Is centralized The clan is local autonomy I was taking. Local autonomy by the clan at that time did not have the subsidies and local grants as it is now, and all the expenses required by the clan were covered by the promotion of the clan's products.
Therefore, the lord called Mei-kun was not only a lord with excellent humanity, but also a lord who enriched the clan.
Sanuki Takamatsu feudal lord, Mei-kun Matsudaira Yorihiro
During the 260 years of the Edo period, there were many feudal lords who were called great lords.
Among them, Sanuki Takamatsu Domain 9th feudal lord, Matsudaira Yorihiro Let me introduce the story.
Matsudaira Yorihiro When he became the lord of the Takamatsu domain, the finances of the domain were at stake due to a series of natural disasters and the burning of the Edo domain's residence. In addition, there was a situation in which a new palace had to be built with the daughter of the 11th Shogun.
In such a situation, Matsudaira Yorihiro He thought that it was important to do his best in the given situation and conditions without complaining. However, just sitting does not generate financial resources for the clan.
In this land of Takamatsu, there was no big river to be a water source. In this region for a long time, [ reservoir ] I relied on the reservoir to secure the water source. Kobo Daishi Made by Mannoike Was a typical example.
Therefore, successive feudal lords used financial resources to make this reservoir, and there were times when it was not enough to limit the use of water. Matsudaira Yorihiro tried to eliminate the accumulated deficit from generations of accumulation, [ regional industrial promotion . ] I think about putting effort into.
However, the clan did not have the energy and budget to start a new industry.
So, Matsudaira Yorihiro I wanted to add value to what I've done so far.
In Sanuki, [ Sanuki's Sanuki ], cotton, salt, sugar Was a special product.
Among them, Matsudaira Yorihiro Is salt and sugar I decided to focus on salt production in particular, and hired an expert on the road, regardless of status.
In this Takamatsu domain, it is customary to appoint talented human resources regardless of their status during the crisis of the domain administration, and when the fifth domain lord, Hiraga Gennai Was appointed. Gennai works like a fish that gets water, Tanuma Okitsugu Although he was a vassal of the Takamatsu domain, he began to help Tanuma. However, it bought the wrath of the feudal lord and service After that, you will not be able to serve any daimyo.
Service Is one of the punishments imposed on the vassals of the daimyo by the daimyo, which means expulsion, but unless the former lord permits, the officers of other daimyo (clan) are also prohibited. The punishment was heavier than the usual expulsion.
Sanuki Province's representative industry, salt industry
9th feudal lord, Matsudaira Yorihiro Returning to the story, he was also a talented Kume Michikata from a farmer during the crisis of the domain reform. Was appointed. Matsudaira Yorihiro ordered Kume to fill his territory with a vast salt pan . Let me make.
At the suggestion of Kume, I decided to build a large salt farm in Sakaide.
The feudal lord, Matsudaira Yorihiro, led Kume to spearhead and created salt farms with Don Don.
However, the finances of the Takamatsu domain were more serious than I had expected, and the funds from the shogunate began to stagnate. So Kume continued the construction with his private fortune, 1829 . Hama-style salt farms in Higashi-Ohama and Nishi-Ohama in Sakaide Was completed.
With the completion of this salt farm, Sakaide's salt production now accounts for about half of Japan's finances, and has helped the Takamatsu domain's finances. The salt industry prospered as a representative industry in Sanuki Province and Kagawa Prefecture until it was converted to an industrial area after the war.
Sanuki's great man who achieved such a feat, Kume Michikata However, in his later years, debts incurred due to the development of Shioda and other factors put pressure on his family and led to a poor life.