Changes

''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>