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''Kokudaka'' was a measure of the agricultural production of a ''daimyô'' domain, or "''[[han]]''," expressed as a measure of ''[[koku]]'' of rice. As a representation of the domain's wealth, ''kokudaka'' determined the amount of the domain's tax obligations to the shogunate, and the domain's status relative to other domains.
''Kokudaka'' was a measure of the agricultural production of a ''daimyô'' domain, or "''[[han]]''," expressed as a measure of ''[[koku]]'' of rice. As a representation of the domain's wealth, ''kokudaka'' determined the amount of the domain's tax obligations to the shogunate, and the domain's status relative to other domains.
The smallest ''daimyô'' domains, by definition, possessed at least 10,000 ''koku'', while some samurai retainers might be granted sub-domains within a ''han'', with a much smaller rating in ''koku''. Most ''han'' were officially assessed at a ''kokudaka'' in the range of 10,000 to 200,000 ''koku'', though the ''kokudaka'' of the most powerful domains exceeded 500,000 ''koku''.
The smallest ''daimyô'' domains, by definition, possessed at least 10,000 ''koku'', while some samurai retainers were granted sub-domains within a ''han'', with a much smaller rating in ''koku''. The majority of ''han'' were officially assessed at a ''kokudaka'' in the range of 10,000 to 200,000 ''koku'', though the ''kokudaka'' of the most powerful domains exceeded 500,000 ''koku''.
This figure, though ostensibly based on the actual agricultural production of the domain's territory, often did not change over the course of the period. A domain's ''kokudaka'' might be changed as a political reward or punishment, but the shogunate did not engage in regular surveys of agricultural production, and did not update domains' ''kokudaka'' on the basis of their production.
This figure, though ostensibly based on the actual agricultural production of the domain's territory, often did not change over the course of the period. A domain's ''kokudaka'' might be changed as a political reward or punishment, but the shogunate did not engage in regular surveys of agricultural production, and did not update domains' ''kokudaka'' on the basis of their production.