Changes

The ''honjin'' at Futagawa-juku saw as many as 100-200 elite individuals across the year, with anywhere from zero to more than forty staying at the ''honjin'' in any given month.<ref>Ina, 56.</ref> ''Daimyô'' typically established regular reservations with ''honjin'' along their ''sankin kôtai'' routes, such that the ''honjin'' would know to expect them on particular dates each year, and to have a reception prepared for them in a particular manner, with the ''daimyô'' paying a pre-arranged amount as a show of gratitude. Such arrangements helped avoid difficulties which might otherwise emerge from negotiating and re-negotiating the schedule, and the terms, each time. Still, there were times when a ''daimyô'' arrived in a town to find that another ''daimyô'' (or Imperial envoy, or another guest of similar elite status) had booked the inn for the night; most of the time, this resulted in the newcomer taking up lodging in the town's ''waki-honjin'', or another similar establishment, when available. ''Daimyô'' also quite regularly passed through post-towns, not staying the night, but merely using the ''honjin'' as a place to rest for a bit, and to perhaps enjoy a meal. Such meals and rest-stops were also often pre-arranged, but ''daimyô'' could also simply arrive and have their men make an arrangement on the spot.

The ''honjin'' at Futagawa-juku saw as many as 100-200 elite individuals across the year, with anywhere from zero to more than forty staying at the ''honjin'' in any given month.<ref>Ina, 56.</ref> ''Daimyô'' typically established regular reservations with ''honjin'' along their ''sankin kôtai'' routes, such that the ''honjin'' would know to expect them on particular dates each year, and to have a reception prepared for them in a particular manner, with the ''daimyô'' paying a pre-arranged amount as a show of gratitude. Such arrangements helped avoid difficulties which might otherwise emerge from negotiating and re-negotiating the schedule, and the terms, each time. Still, there were times when a ''daimyô'' arrived in a town to find that another ''daimyô'' (or Imperial envoy, or another guest of similar elite status) had booked the inn for the night; most of the time, this resulted in the newcomer taking up lodging in the town's ''waki-honjin'', or another similar establishment, when available. ''Daimyô'' also quite regularly passed through post-towns, not staying the night, but merely using the ''honjin'' as a place to rest for a bit, and to perhaps enjoy a meal. Such meals and rest-stops were also often pre-arranged, but ''daimyô'' could also simply arrive and have their men make an arrangement on the spot.

As a ''daimyô'' and his entourage approached a post-town, they would send a messenger ahead to alert the ''honjin'' to the ''daimyô's'' impending arrival. A special curtain was hung over the entrance, and a number of other preparations were done, including arranging small mounds of sand or salt, called ''morisuna'', and a decorative broom and bucket (known as ''kazari-hôki'' and ''kazari-oke''), outside of the inn as symbolic indications of the cleanliness and preparedness of the ''honjin''. The messenger would often exchange a ''sekifuda'', an official indication of his lord's wishes, for a receipt from the ''honjin'' confirming their acknowledgement of the reservation. When the ''daimyô'' then arrived in town, he would be greeted near the entrance to the town, and led to the ''honjin'', where a proper reception awaited. It was not uncommon for all the officials of the post-town to contribute directly to the process of receiving a ''daimyô'' (or other figure of similar status), with some officials performing the greetings and formal reception, some ensuring the streets and the ''honjin'' itself were clean and in good condition, and others overseeing guardsmen and security concerns.

As a ''daimyô'' and his entourage approached a post-town, they would send a messenger ahead to alert the ''honjin'' to the ''daimyô's'' impending arrival. A special curtain was hung over the entrance, and a number of other preparations were done, including arranging small mounds of sand or salt, called ''[[morisuna]]'', and a decorative broom and bucket (known as ''kazari-hôki'' and ''kazari-oke''), outside of the inn as symbolic indications of the cleanliness and preparedness of the ''honjin''. The messenger would often exchange a ''sekifuda'', an official indication of his lord's wishes, for a receipt from the ''honjin'' confirming their acknowledgement of the reservation. When the ''daimyô'' then arrived in town, he would be greeted near the entrance to the town, and led to the ''honjin'', where a proper reception awaited. It was not uncommon for all the officials of the post-town to contribute directly to the process of receiving a ''daimyô'' (or other figure of similar status), with some officials performing the greetings and formal reception, some ensuring the streets and the ''honjin'' itself were clean and in good condition, and others overseeing guardsmen and security concerns.

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