Gojomaisen

• Japanese: 御城米船 (go jou mai sen)

Gojômaisen were ships employed by the Tokugawa shogunate to carry rice collected from shogunate lands (tenryô) as taxes (nengû) to shogunate storehouses in Nagasaki, Osaka, Sunpu, and elsewhere.

The ships were all privately owned by commoners, who were paid by the shogunate for their use. The rate of payment was fixed by regulation, and the operation was carefully monitored in order to ensure the safety of the ships and cargo. When being used for this purpose - that is, when carrying official shogunate goods - these ships flew flags featuring a red sun motif.

References

• "Gojômaisen," Britannica Kokusai daihyakka jiten, Britannica Japan (2014).