Changes

Along with ports at Hôfu (also known as Nakanoseki) and the more famous [[Shimonoseki]],<ref>''Kami'', ''naka'', and ''shimo'', meaning "above," "middle," and "below," or "upper," "middle," and "lower," respectively, with ''seki'' meaning "barrier" or "checkpoint."</ref> Kaminoseki was one of a number of maritime checkpoints, or ''[[sekisho]]'', maintained by the ''han'' government. As such, it was home to a number of official facilities, including an official guesthouse (''ochaya''), expanded in [[1643]] to include not just lodging, dining space, and kitchens, but baths, entertainment space, storage space, and residences for the staff, spread out over an area roughly the size of a modern-day soccer field. This guesthouse served not only the lords of Chôshû as they made their way to and from [[Edo]] on their ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' (alternate attendance) journeys, but also a number of Kyushu ''daimyô'' making that journey, and Korean and Ryukyuan embassies.<ref>The Korean embassies in particular lodged at Kaminoseki eleven times, on every one of their embassy journeys to Japan, with the exception of the final mission, the [[1811]] mission, which only traveled to [[Tsushima han|Tsushima]], and not to mainland Japan. Dusinberre, 21-23.</ref> Meanwhile, Chôshû and [[Tsushima han]] officials accompanying the Korean embassies took up lodging in villagers' homes, often taking up the majority of the homes along the main streets of both Kaminoseki and Murotsu. The situation was similar when the Môri or other ''daimyô'' passed through on their ''sankin kôtai'' journeys.<ref>For example, in 1764, Chôshû and Tsushima officials accompanying the Korean missions occupied 36 out of 43 homes along the main street in Kaminoseki, as well as some number of homes in Murotsu. Dusinberre, 24-25.</ref>

Along with ports at Hôfu (also known as Nakanoseki) and the more famous [[Shimonoseki]],<ref>''Kami'', ''naka'', and ''shimo'', meaning "above," "middle," and "below," or "upper," "middle," and "lower," respectively, with ''seki'' meaning "barrier" or "checkpoint."</ref> Kaminoseki was one of a number of maritime checkpoints, or ''[[sekisho]]'', maintained by the ''han'' government. As such, it was home to a number of official facilities, including an official guesthouse (''ochaya''), expanded in [[1643]] to include not just lodging, dining space, and kitchens, but baths, entertainment space, storage space, and residences for the staff, spread out over an area roughly the size of a modern-day soccer field. This guesthouse served not only the lords of Chôshû as they made their way to and from [[Edo]] on their ''[[sankin kotai|sankin kôtai]]'' (alternate attendance) journeys, but also a number of Kyushu ''daimyô'' making that journey, and Korean and Ryukyuan embassies.<ref>The Korean embassies in particular lodged at Kaminoseki eleven times, on every one of their embassy journeys to Japan, with the exception of the final mission, the [[1811]] mission, which only traveled to [[Tsushima han|Tsushima]], and not to mainland Japan. Dusinberre, 21-23.</ref> Meanwhile, Chôshû and [[Tsushima han]] officials accompanying the Korean embassies took up lodging in villagers' homes, often taking up the majority of the homes along the main streets of both Kaminoseki and Murotsu. The situation was similar when the Môri or other ''daimyô'' passed through on their ''sankin kôtai'' journeys.<ref>For example, in 1764, Chôshû and Tsushima officials accompanying the Korean missions occupied 36 out of 43 homes along the main street in Kaminoseki, as well as some number of homes in Murotsu. Dusinberre, 24-25.</ref>

The domain's local administrative office, or ''bansho'', in the town was relocated in [[1711]] to a more prominent location which allowed officials to throw open the doors and look out over the waterfront, flanked by [[yumi|longbows]] and thus presenting an impressive visage as well to those looking up at them.<ref>Dusinberre, 21.</ref> The office was headed by members of the two samurai families resident in the town - the Hayashi and Yasumura - while the Odamura family dominated the position of village headman.<ref name=hardtimes28>Dusinberre, 28.</ref> At that time, in 1711, the population of the town is estimated at roughly 140 households, comprised of a total of less than one thousand people.<ref>Dusinberre, 23.</ref> The town was also home to three [[teahouses]] - the Edo-ya, Kaneko-ya, and one other<ref name=hardtimes28/> - and an office overseeing the operations of the ''[[koshini-gata]]'' system of domain-commissioned warehouses, as well as roughly twelve ''[[tonya|ton'ya]]'' (private shipping agents) each of which specialized in the storage and shipment of particular goods from different provinces, and bore names such as Awa-ya, Kaga-ya, Higo-ya, and Nagasaki-ya. Each also maintained lodgings for ''[[kitamaebune]]'' ship captains & crews.<ref>The relationship between the name of the ''ton'ya'' operation and the goods or provinces with which they dealt is unclear. Dusinberre, 27.</ref> In 1842, the three teahouses combined were home to fifty-four ''[[yujo|yûjo]]'' and five male clerks (''tedai''), and were responsible for as much as one-quarter of the revenues earned in the town.<ref>Dusinberre, 31.</ref> Much of the remaining portion was also connected to port activities, with agriculture comprising only a small portion of the town's economic activity.

The domain's local administrative office, or ''bansho'', in the town was relocated in [[1711]] to a more prominent location which allowed officials to throw open the doors and look out over the waterfront, flanked by [[yumi|longbows]] and thus presenting an impressive visage as well to those looking up at them.<ref>Dusinberre, 21.</ref> The office was headed by members of the two samurai families resident in the town - the Hayashi and Yasumura - while the Odamura family dominated the position of village headman.<ref name=hardtimes28>Dusinberre, 28.</ref> At that time, in 1711, the population of the town is estimated at roughly 140 households, comprised of a total of less than one thousand people.<ref>Dusinberre, 23.</ref> Even as late as the 1840s, after the port town had become rather "urban" in the vibrancy of its commercial activity and the resulting social structure of the town (including e.g. occupational specialization of residents), its population did not exceed 2,500.<ref>Dusinberre, 191.</ref> The town was also home to three [[teahouses]] - the Edo-ya, Kaneko-ya, and one other<ref name=hardtimes28/> - and an office overseeing the operations of the ''[[koshini-gata]]'' system of domain-commissioned warehouses, as well as roughly twelve ''[[tonya|ton'ya]]'' (private shipping agents) each of which specialized in the storage and shipment of particular goods from different provinces, and bore names such as Awa-ya, Kaga-ya, Higo-ya, and Nagasaki-ya. Each also maintained lodgings for ''[[kitamaebune]]'' ship captains & crews.<ref>The relationship between the name of the ''ton'ya'' operation and the goods or provinces with which they dealt is unclear. Dusinberre, 27.</ref> In 1842, the three teahouses combined were home to fifty-four ''[[yujo|yûjo]]'' and five male clerks (''tedai''), and were responsible for as much as one-quarter of the revenues earned in the town.<ref>Dusinberre, 31.</ref> Much of the remaining portion was also connected to port activities, with agriculture comprising only a small portion of the town's economic activity.

Along with neighboring Murotsu and a handful of other Chôshû fishing villages, Kaminoseki also enjoyed a privileged position as a designated ''tateura'' port. Fishermen from these villages enjoyed certain privileges in fishing in certain waters, but were also obligated to offer certain forms of assistance to drifting ships or castaway sailors, as well as unloading or otherwise serving the ''daimyô's'' ships when they came to port.<ref>Dusinberre, 21.</ref>

Along with neighboring Murotsu and a handful of other Chôshû fishing villages, Kaminoseki also enjoyed a privileged position as a designated ''tateura'' port. Fishermen from these villages enjoyed certain privileges in fishing in certain waters, but were also obligated to offer certain forms of assistance to drifting ships or castaway sailors, as well as unloading or otherwise serving the ''daimyô's'' ships when they came to port.<ref>Dusinberre, 21.</ref>