Overview
It's little known that slavery existed in ancient Japanese society-or even in Japan, at all, for that matter. In Nara Japan (710-794 A.D.), Chinese-emulating law compilations such as the Taiho and Yoro Codes set the standard for the ownership of slaves and the subsequent stratification of society. In general, beyond the ranks of aristocrats and ministers, society was separated between the common people (ryoumin) and slaves (senmin). The Cambridge History of Japan Volume One: Ancient Japan informs us that "slaves made up less than 10 percent of the population and were not the country's main producers." Also, one could not bridge the societal gaps through marriage, and crimes of slaves were punished harsher than those committed by normal citizens.
Stratification and Separation within Slavery
- Kanko 官戸
- Ryouko 陵戸
- Ke'nin 家人
- Kunuhi 官奴婢
- Shinuhi 私奴婢
Kanko 官戸
The Cambridge History of Japan titles the "Kanko" as government-owned 'state slaves' who were allowed "familes and could use a portion of their labor for themselves".
Ryouko 陵戸
Basically care-keepers of Imperial Kofun, 'imperial-mausolea slaves,' or "ryouko" were the property of government officials. This can only be expected, considering the sensitive work they did. Interestingly, it's noted that they were on almost equal footing with the common people, but they carried a certain unfavorable stigma, as they dealt with deceased bodies, either indirectly or directly.
Ke'nin 家人
The common people (ryoumin) owned "Ke'nin" or 'private slaves,' as they are called within Cambridge. These 'private slaves' were equal with 'state slaves'.
Kunuhi 官奴婢
"Kunuhi," or 'state chattel slaves,' were also owned by the government. They were viewed as currency--"property that could be bought and sold".
Shinuhi 私奴婢
"Shinuhi," in contrast with "Kunuhi," were privately owned 'chattel slaves'. However, that is where the differences end: their lot in life was equal.
Occurences of Slavery
The Cambridge History of Japan attempts to analyze the place of slaves within Nara society. The chapter concludes that "Ke'nin" were far less common than government-owned slaves. "The largest slave subgroup was private chattel slaves, who were owned mainly by temples, shrines, public officials, and wealthy farmers. One private chattel slave, according to contemporary sources, had roughly the value of a strong horse or cow."