Changes

While the term ''kôke'' is used generally to refer to high-ranking houses or those of ancient or honorable lineage, in the [[Edo period]], the term came to also refer to a specific post within the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunal]] administrative structures.  

While the term ''kôke'' is used generally to refer to high-ranking houses or those of ancient or honorable lineage, in the [[Edo period]], the term came to also refer to a specific post within the [[Tokugawa shogunate|shogunal]] administrative structures.  

Essentially chiefs of protocol, the ''kôke'', at the direction of the ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', oversaw shogunal journeys to [[Ise Shrine|Ise]] and [[Nikko Toshogu|Nikkô]], the reception of Imperial envoys, and a variety of other ceremonial and ritual matters. They also regularly traveled to [[Kyoto]] as shogunal envoys carrying messages or the like to the Imperial Court, and managing relations with the Court otherwise. In shogunal audiences with Imperial envoys or foreign ambassadors, they often served as intermediaries in conveying both words and objects between the shogun and his guests.

Essentially chiefs of protocol, the ''kôke'', at the direction of the ''[[roju|rôjû]]'', oversaw shogunal journeys to [[Ise Shrine|Ise]] and [[Nikko Toshogu|Nikkô]], the reception of Imperial envoys, and a variety of other ceremonial and ritual matters. They also regularly traveled to [[Kyoto]] as shogunal envoys carrying messages or the like to the Imperial Court, and managing relations with the Court otherwise. In shogunal audiences with Imperial envoys or foreign ambassadors, they often served as intermediaries in conveying both words and objects between the shogun and his guests. Officials known as the ''[[soshaban|sôshaban]]'' served similar functions.

The position was hereditary, and included chiefly members of the [[Kira clan|Kira]], [[Takeda clan|Takeda]], [[Oda clan|Oda]], [[Rokkaku clan|Rokkaku]], and [[Hatakeyama clan]]s, among others. Their [[stipends]] were not particularly high, but they enjoyed rank equivalent to that of a ''daimyô''.

The position was hereditary, and included chiefly members of the [[Kira clan|Kira]], [[Takeda clan|Takeda]], [[Oda clan|Oda]], [[Rokkaku clan|Rokkaku]], and [[Hatakeyama clan]]s, among others. Their [[stipends]] were not particularly high, but they enjoyed rank equivalent to that of a ''daimyô''.