Village "Contracts" in Tokugawa Japan

There are assembled here the Japanese (sorobun) originals and English translations of over fifty private agreements, mostly dating from the 19th century and selected from eighteen different villages scattered about the main island of Japan. Their subject matter has been classified into fifteen categories for convenience: water rights, land sales, boundary lines, commons, loans with or without interest, loans with or without various kinds of security, personal services, agreements concerning family relations (such as dowry, retirement, succession, sale-of-daughter, and prenuptial agreements), agreements concerning the headman's selection and performance, inter-village agreements, dispute settlement agreements, and apology agreements.

This volume will be of interest to historians, students of Japanese law, culture, and history, anthropologists, as well as anyone interested in Japan in the Edo period.

Autorentext

Dan Fenno Henderson

Inhalt
PrefacePart 1: Introduction to Tokugawa Village AgreementsFootnotespart 2: The Contracts: English and Japanese Versions1. Water Rights2. Land Sales (by way of loan)3. Land Sales (direct)4. Land Boundary: Agreement and Judgment5. Land Leases6. Land: Commons and Right-of-Way 7. Loans without Interest: From Overlord (also to Temples)8. Loans with Interest (both secured and unsecured)9. Loans: Special Arrangements (Redemptions, etc.)10. Loans: Success Documents (without interest, term, or security)11. Personal Service (and guaranties)12. Family Relations: Dowry, Retirement, Succession13. Headman Position: Qualifications, Undertakings, Performance, Disputes14. Inter-Village Agreements: Joint Expenses and Assisting Village (Sukego) Accounting15. Apology AgreementsAppendix 1: Town AgreementsAppendix 2: Weights and MeasuresGlossary