Changes

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.

Multiple different figures for the ''kokudaka'' thus often existed simultaneously for a single domain. The official figure determined and recognized by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] and used as a marker or indicator of the domain's wealth and status can be referred to as ''omotedaka'' (表高), using the character ''omote'', meaning "official," "surface," or "outside." Meanwhile, nearly all domains maintained their own internal figures for agricultural production, called ''uchidaka'' (内高), using the character ''uchi'', meaning "inside" or "internal." The ''uchidaka'' was often a higher figure, more regularly assessed and more accurately reflecting increases and expansions of agricultural productivity within the domain. It was generally in the best interests of the domain to not report the higher figure, and to allow the ''omotedaka'' recognized by the shogunate to remain at a lower figure, since this meant lower tax payments owed by the domain to the shogunate; though this seems deceitful or deceptive, such behavior was widely condoned by the shogunate, as part of the philosophy of [[omote and uchi|''omote'' and ''uchi'']], allowing internal matters to remain relatively private, so long as a domain's obligations on the official, external level were properly observed.

Multiple different figures for the ''kokudaka'' thus often existed simultaneously for a single domain. The official figure determined and recognized by the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] and used as a marker or indicator of the domain's wealth and status can be referred to as ''omotedaka'' (表高), using the character ''omote'', meaning "official," "surface," or "outside." This was also known as ''hôdaka'' (封高), meaning the ''kokudaka'' one was officially invested (''hô'') with.<ref>Ravina, ''Land and Lordship'', 12, 226.</ref> Meanwhile, nearly all domains maintained their own internal figures for agricultural production, called ''uchidaka'' (内高), using the character ''uchi'', meaning "inside" or "internal." The ''uchidaka'' was often a higher figure, more regularly assessed and more accurately reflecting increases and expansions of agricultural productivity within the domain. It was generally in the best interests of the domain to not report the higher figure, and to allow the ''omotedaka'' recognized by the shogunate to remain at a lower figure, since this meant lower tax payments owed by the domain to the shogunate; though this seems deceitful or deceptive, such behavior was widely condoned by the shogunate, as part of the philosophy of [[omote and uchi|''omote'' and ''uchi'']], allowing internal matters to remain relatively private, so long as a domain's obligations on the official, external level were properly observed.

==Examples of ''Omotedaka''==

==Examples of ''Omotedaka''==