Changes

The system owed much to the cadastral surveys undertaken by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] in the 1580s-90s, which were the first to standardize the tools (and [[Japanese Measurements|units of measurement]]) throughout the process, across the archipelago. The surveys recorded and documented the location, size, and soil quality of each section of land, as well as the name of the chief cultivator, the crops being grown there, and the assessed taxable agricultural yield.<ref>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Japanese Civilization'', Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 64.</ref>

The system owed much to the cadastral surveys undertaken by [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]] in the 1580s-90s, which were the first to standardize the tools (and [[Japanese Measurements|units of measurement]]) throughout the process, across the archipelago. The surveys recorded and documented the location, size, and soil quality of each section of land, as well as the name of the chief cultivator, the crops being grown there, and the assessed taxable agricultural yield.<ref>[[Albert M. Craig]], ''The Heritage of Japanese Civilization'', Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 64.</ref>

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''.

The ''kokudaka'' of the entire archipelago totalled around 24 million ''koku''. The Tokugawa were the largest landholders, with about four million ''koku'' worth of direct shogunate lands, while the [[Maeda clan]] of [[Kaga han]] and [[Shimazu clan]] of [[Satsuma han]] were second and third, at one million and 770,000, respectively. About 500,000 koku worth of land was controlled by the Imperial family, major temples, and other such groups. ''[[Hatamoto]]'' controlled about ten percent of the land, and the ''daimyô'' the rest. 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.

*[[Luke Roberts|Roberts, Luke]]. ''Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan''. University of Hawaii Press, 2012. p54.

*[[Luke Roberts|Roberts, Luke]]. ''Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan''. University of Hawaii Press, 2012. p54.

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[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Terminology]]

[[Category:Terminology]]