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''Daimyô yashiki'' were [[Edo period]] mansions maintained in [[Edo]], [[Kyoto]], and other major cities by the ''[[daimyo|daimyô]]''. As part of the ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' system, ''daimyô'' had to spend a considerable amount of time in [[Edo]] once every few years, and to maintain a household with their wives and children as hostages in Edo. Mansions were also maintained in Kyoto, [[Osaka]], and elsewhere, serving as bases of operations for the ''daimyô's'' political and economic activities in those cities, and housing the ''daimyô'' and his retinue as they passed through on their way to/from Edo on their ''sankin kôtai'' journeys.

''Daimyô yashiki'' were [[Edo period]] mansions maintained in [[Edo]], [[Kyoto]], and other major cities by the ''[[daimyo|daimyô]]''. As part of the ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' system, ''daimyô'' had to spend a considerable amount of time in [[Edo]] once every few years, and to maintain a household with their wives and children as hostages in Edo. Mansions were also maintained in Kyoto, [[Osaka]], and elsewhere, serving as bases of operations for the ''daimyô's'' political and economic activities in those cities, and housing the ''daimyô'' and his retinue as they passed through on their way to/from Edo on their ''sankin kôtai'' journeys.

Originally, the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] provided mansions to the ''[[tozama daimyo|tozama daimyô]]'', in which their wives and children would live in Edo, as hostages, as part of the ''sankin kôtai'' "alternate attendance" system. Following the extension of ''sankin kôtai'' obligations to all ''daimyô'' in [[1635]], the ''daimyô'' practice of maintaining a mansion in Edo became much more common, and certain aspects of their layout, design, or locations in the city became somewhat standardized. After the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]] in particular, when the city was rebuilt, ''daimyô'' rebuilt multiple mansions in different parts of the city. A given ''daimyô's'' "upper mansion" might be located within the walls or moats (Marunouchi), below the Nishi-no-maru, or in neighborhoods such as Atagoshita or Sotosakurada; his "middle mansion" might be located just inside the outermost walls of [[Edo castle]]; and his "lower mansion" would be somewhere in the outskirts of the city.

Originally, the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] provided mansions to the ''[[tozama daimyo|tozama daimyô]]'', in which their wives and children would live in Edo, as hostages, as part of the ''sankin kôtai'' "alternate attendance" system. Following the extension of ''sankin kôtai'' obligations to all ''daimyô'' in [[1635]], the ''daimyô'' practice of maintaining a mansion in Edo became much more common, and certain aspects of their layout, design, or locations in the city became somewhat standardized. After the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]] in particular, when the city was rebuilt, ''daimyô'' rebuilt multiple mansions in different parts of the city. A given ''daimyô's'' "upper mansion" might be located within the walls or moats (Marunouchi), below the Nishi-no-maru, or in neighborhoods such as Atagoshita or Sotosakurada; his "middle mansion" might be located just inside the outermost walls of [[Edo castle]]; and his "lower mansion" would be somewhere in the outskirts of the city. Generally speaking, the lord resided at the "upper mansion" (''kami-yashiki'') while in Edo, while his children and retired predecessors lived at the "middle" (''naka-yashiki'') or "lower mansion" (''shimo-yashiki''). The middle and lower mansions often also housed retainers too low-ranking to enter the upper mansion, as well as storehouses and other facilities. Many domains also maintained ''kakae yashiki'', further out from the city, which managed areas of farmland to help support the domain's financial/food-supply needs.<ref>Gallery labels, "Upper, Middle, and Lower Residences of Kaga Domain," National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/12591023803/sizes/h/]</ref>

''Daimyô'' mansions varied considerably in size and lavishness, in accordance with the wealth of their lords; official regulations further circumscribed the construction of the mansion. The main gates to the compounds provide just one example of this. ''Daimyô'' possessing over 100,000 ''[[koku]]'' in official (''omote'') ''[[kokudaka]]'', including the ''[[kunimochi]] daimyô'', had gates guarded on both sides by guardhouses (''bansho'') with ''[[karahafu]]'' gables, while those between 50,000 and 100,000 ''koku'' were forbidden the ''karahafu'' gables for these gatehouses, and most employed simpler ''hisashi'' eaves for their guardhouses. ''Daimyô'' under 50,000 ''koku'', meanwhile, were forbidden from having two guardhouses, and so had only one, to one side of the compound's main gate.<ref>Gallery labels, "Gate Construction and Status in Daimyo Residences," National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/12591020043/sizes/k/]</ref>

''Daimyô'' mansions varied considerably in size and lavishness, in accordance with the wealth of their lords; official regulations further circumscribed the construction of the mansion. The main gates to the compounds provide just one example of this. ''Daimyô'' possessing over 100,000 ''[[koku]]'' in official (''omote'') ''[[kokudaka]]'', including the ''[[kunimochi]] daimyô'', had gates guarded on both sides by guardhouses (''bansho'') with ''[[karahafu]]'' gables, while those between 50,000 and 100,000 ''koku'' were forbidden the ''karahafu'' gables for these gatehouses, and most employed simpler ''hisashi'' eaves for their guardhouses. ''Daimyô'' under 50,000 ''koku'', meanwhile, were forbidden from having two guardhouses, and so had only one, to one side of the compound's main gate.<ref>Gallery labels, "Gate Construction and Status in Daimyo Residences," National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/12591020043/sizes/k/]</ref>