Difference between revisions of "Kenzanya"
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''Kenzanya'' were shops in [[Edo]] that purchased items from the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], ''daimyô'' houses, or other samurai houses that had been gifted or presented to those houses but which the recipient could not make practical use of.<ref>The term literally means a shop (''ya'') for items presented (''ken'') and "left over" or "remaining" (''zan'').</ref> In many cases, this was simply because of the great volume of things that the shogunate or a ''daimyô'' house received as ceremonial gifts from retainers or others, in excess of what could be practically utilized. In other cases, the objects that existed solely to serve as ceremonial gifts, and had no practical purpose; one example of this is the case of lacquered wooden swords presented to the shogun or others as a gesture symbolic of presenting a gift of a real sword. The ''kenzanya'' then resold the items to samurai or others to be gifted or presented again. | ''Kenzanya'' were shops in [[Edo]] that purchased items from the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], ''daimyô'' houses, or other samurai houses that had been gifted or presented to those houses but which the recipient could not make practical use of.<ref>The term literally means a shop (''ya'') for items presented (''ken'') and "left over" or "remaining" (''zan'').</ref> In many cases, this was simply because of the great volume of things that the shogunate or a ''daimyô'' house received as ceremonial gifts from retainers or others, in excess of what could be practically utilized. In other cases, the objects that existed solely to serve as ceremonial gifts, and had no practical purpose; one example of this is the case of lacquered wooden swords presented to the shogun or others as a gesture symbolic of presenting a gift of a real sword. The ''kenzanya'' then resold the items to samurai or others to be gifted or presented again. | ||
| − | The practice seems to have existed since at least the 14th century, initially focusing on the buying and reselling of swords and horses before expanding into other goods. | + | The practice seems to have existed since at least the 14th century, initially focusing on the buying and reselling of swords and horses before expanding into other goods, including wooden boxes and pedestals, dried or otherwise non-perishable food items, and ink sticks. |
In the early modern period, such shops were a unique feature of Edo, and did not operate in [[Kyoto]] or [[Osaka]].<ref>Fujita, citing Kitagawa Morisada 喜田川守貞, ''Morisada mankô'' 守貞謾稿. Date unclear.</ref> | In the early modern period, such shops were a unique feature of Edo, and did not operate in [[Kyoto]] or [[Osaka]].<ref>Fujita, citing Kitagawa Morisada 喜田川守貞, ''Morisada mankô'' 守貞謾稿. Date unclear.</ref> | ||
Latest revision as of 20:27, 8 January 2026
- Japanese: 献残屋 (kenzanya), 見参屋 (kenzanya)
Kenzanya were shops in Edo that purchased items from the Tokugawa shogunate, daimyô houses, or other samurai houses that had been gifted or presented to those houses but which the recipient could not make practical use of.[1] In many cases, this was simply because of the great volume of things that the shogunate or a daimyô house received as ceremonial gifts from retainers or others, in excess of what could be practically utilized. In other cases, the objects that existed solely to serve as ceremonial gifts, and had no practical purpose; one example of this is the case of lacquered wooden swords presented to the shogun or others as a gesture symbolic of presenting a gift of a real sword. The kenzanya then resold the items to samurai or others to be gifted or presented again.
The practice seems to have existed since at least the 14th century, initially focusing on the buying and reselling of swords and horses before expanding into other goods, including wooden boxes and pedestals, dried or otherwise non-perishable food items, and ink sticks.
In the early modern period, such shops were a unique feature of Edo, and did not operate in Kyoto or Osaka.[2]
Ceremonial Swords
Among these ceremonial goods were black-lacquered wooden swords, described in many documents as tsukuri tachi ("made swords" or "false swords"), which daimyô were obliged to present to the shogun on various regular occasions. Since the shogunate received hundreds or thousands of these ceremonial wooden swords on a regular basis, it regularly gave them to the kenzanya, to be purchased and presented by the daimyô once again.
Though in the early Edo period it was common practice for daimyô to present the shogun with antique swords, often by famous smiths or with some notable provenance, Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune issued edicts in 1722 aimed at economizing the expensive practices of ritual gift exchange, and dramatically reduced the number of occasions when the presentation of a real sword was expected, and the range of daimyô who would be expected to do so. Those edicts also reduced the amount of silver to be presented by the daimyô by ninety percent, and reduced the amount of textiles and certain other goods to be presented similarly. Following the imposition of these reforms, while the most elite daimyô continued to present the shogun with real swords on various occasions, otherwise, the presentation of lacquered wooden ceremonial swords came to dominate, and the institution of the kenzanya grew in importance.
References
- Fujita Satoru 藤田覚, "Kenzanya - Edo no zôtô jijô" 「献残屋ー江戸の贈答事情」, Hongô 本郷 22 (July 1999), 8-10.
- Fukai Masaumi 深井雅海, Tôken to kakutsuke 刀剣と格付け, Tokyo: Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2018), 112-116.
