Huge Merchant House

Japanese merchants have been active relating to Japanese history from the early time. So we think there were so many merchants' houses in any day and age. However, most old merchants' houses were lost because of disasters of war, aging and other reasons.In spite of such situation, several of the Edo period's merchant-houses are still remained with the appearance as they were made. We visit two of them at Matsusaka city, Mie prefecture.

First of all, we want to simply state how major merchants in the Edo period played their active part. Edo, Osaka, Kyoto became big population cities and also large consumption areas. 

Many provincial merchants carried their areas' specialities in the cities. And also they made shops and shopping town there. One of rural cities, Matsusaka city had been producing very important product, specially dyed cotton cloth. This product was highly pleased by the consumers in these consumption areas. Merchants from Matsusaka city advanced in the Edo city, and they became one of the major merchants in Japan. 

Merchants' town in Edo (from the Internet)

In Matsusaka city, there were many residences in which major merchants' families lived at the time they played an active role. Approximately 350 years have passed from the beginning of Matsusaka merchants, there are very few residences survived. Only two residences, 'the Hasegawa residence' and 'the Ozu residence' remained and were open to the public. 

The Hasegawa residence

Until the beginning of the Edo period, Matsusaka city changed a huge producing area of dyed cotton cloth. Several decades before the moment, this area was an important military place and experienced war. But, the ruler, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's politics brought peace to this region. Several merchants who had a good head for business happened to carry the specially dyed cotton cloth in the Edo region. They earned huge money by this trade.

Masters of these merchants' groups lived in Matsusaka city and they made workers operate stores in huge consumption area such as Edo, Osaka, Kyoto. 

Though the most important decision was made by the master in Matsusaka city. They became giant companies at that time. Furthermore, several merchants listed the names of the wealthy. 

The master family bought additional property and expanded the residence each time in the black. This family worked for the regional ruler, samurai and built social status in Matsusaka city. 

Moreover, they used their assets for regional cultural development. 

They became patrons of the arts such as Japanese literature, tea ceremony, Haikai (one of Japanese poetry).

The property

Map of the residence (from the Internet)

Their property, the Hasegawa residence is located in the downtown of Matsusaka city now. In the Edo period, it was adjacent to the Matsusaka Bugyousho (the magistrate's office). This place was very close to the Ise highway (the highway to the Ise shrine), and many other merchants' residences also gathered there.

The Hasegawa family advanced in the Edo city during an early stage. 

And it was established at 1675. It managed 5 stores in the Edo region and hired more than 120 workers in their heyday. 

Stores in the Edo region were controled by workers who were employed at Matsusaka city and were originally the second and third sons of farmers. 

Now, we want to explain the residence. It has been open to the public since April 2019. There are over 30 rooms in the main residence and 5 storehouses protected by thick-walls for the important goods. The first construction was started at the later part of 1600's. It had been expanding until the beginning of 1900's. So we cannot point out the age of each part.

It is registered within the top 10 survived merchant residences. And also it's designated as an important cultural asset. 

Next to the 5 storehouses, a wide Japanese landscape garden and an annex building for visitor's stay and tea ceremony are there. The premises were once the Matsusaka Bugyousho, and Hasegawa family made the purchase of the site and remodeled at the Meiji period.

We can tour only limited area in the residence. However, we can appreciate a living room for the master, a series of withdrawing room, store room and so on. Furthermore, one of storehouses is open to the public and remodeled to an exhibition room. Following the direction signs, we also appreciate a front garden of the main building and a Japanese landscape garden in expanded area. 

The Ozu residence

The Ozu family's line of business was Japanese paper. This Japanese paper merchant was established at 1653, and in its heyday, managed 3 stores, hired 110 workers and more. And this company is still active in Tokyo, and current store name is 'Ozu-Washi (Washi is Japanese paper)'. 

When they organized, its residence was in another place, and they moved at 1686. Its location is at the downtown of Matsusaka, aside of the Ise highway, and close to the Hannai river. The main building was built in uncertain times until the beginning of 1800's. Size of the site narrowed in one third at its best. There were 8 storehouses, however, only 2 now. 

We can appreciate the inside of this building. Its facade does not look so big , however, the inside is beyond expectations. Behind a relatively small entrance, there is a spacious backyard room with ceiling overwhelmingly high. There are several big iron-pots to cook rice.

Once, the travelers to the Ise shrine entered Matsusaka city crossing the bridge over the Hannai river. And the Ozu residence was the first building the travelers found. Ozu family served uncompensated rice balls produced using these iron-pots to every traveler.

In the Edo period, the Ozu family was ranked as a rich family above the Hasegawa family in a ranking list of the wealthy families in Japan. There is a 'Manryou-bako (literally 10 thousands Kobans' (oval gold coins used in the Edo period) safety box' exhibited. So, they were extremely rich but they did uncompensated rice-distributions. They had a spirit of service according to an explanation from a guide of this facility. 

Each side of the big backyard room, there are many room. We can count 15 or so now, however, there were many annex residences. The scale of the total room seemed to be larger than the Hasegawa family's residence.

Pilgrimage to the Ise shrine

The Matsusaka city is located on the Ise highway and at the entrance of the Ise shrine. To be more precise, the Ise highway was moved into the Matsusaka city when Gamou Ujisato, one of famous Sengoku Warriors made the Matsusaka castle. He made the highway replaced and made merchants and ordinary people moved to the newly developed the Matsusaka castle town forcibly.   

From the Internet

Travel to the Ise shrine was a pilgrimage, however, for many Japanese ordinary people, it was a sigit-seeing and pleasure-seeking tour. When the Edo period began, ordinary people enjoyed traveling to the Ise shrine. Because they were prohibited from traveling except pilgrimages to the Ise shrine.

According to a certain record, approximately 5,000,000 people visited there in a certain special year (once every 60 years). The population of Japan was approximately 30,000,000, so, one sixth people visited this shrine that year.

According to an another record, 20,000 people visited the Matsusaka city every day. And the population of the Matsusaka city was 10,000 at that time. If 5,000,000 people visited the Ise shrine through the Matsusaka city, 20,000 visitors one day were possible.