Changes

Those based in the Kuramae neighborhood of [[Edo]] served an official function, in collecting up rice paid in taxes, selling it to wholesalers, and in so doing, converting the rice to cash. Some served as wholesalers themselves, loaning rice out against collateral, or bargaining against futures. Many became quite wealthy in this line of work. When a publication described the eighteen great connoisseurs of the city (''daihachi [[tsu|tsû]]''), most of those listed were rice brokers.<ref name=edotokyo>Gallery labels, Edo-Tokyo Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11269390265/sizes/h/]</ref>

Those based in the Kuramae neighborhood of [[Edo]] served an official function, in collecting up rice paid in taxes, selling it to wholesalers, and in so doing, converting the rice to cash. Some served as wholesalers themselves, loaning rice out against collateral, or bargaining against futures. Many became quite wealthy in this line of work. When a publication described the eighteen great connoisseurs of the city (''daihachi [[tsu|tsû]]''), most of those listed were rice brokers.<ref name=edotokyo>Gallery labels, Edo-Tokyo Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11269390265/sizes/h/]</ref>

The rice brokers acquired incredible wealth in this manner; however, this also led a great many of their customers to go into considerable debt, and so when the [[tokugawa shogunate]] declared everyone's debts absolved in the [[Kansei Reforms]] (1787-1793), not only the rice brokers' business, but indeed much of the commercial economy of the city, and of the realm, was thrown into disorder.<ref name=edotokyo/>

The rice brokers acquired incredible wealth in this manner; however, this also led a great many of their customers to go into considerable debt, and so when the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] declared everyone's debts absolved in the [[Kansei Reforms]] (1787-1793), not only the rice brokers' business, but indeed much of the commercial economy of the city, and of the realm, was thrown into disorder.<ref name=edotokyo/>

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