Type of Research Principal Research [Branch A]
Project Title Reconstructing the Image of Medieval Japanese Society Based on Historical and Cultural Materials
Supervising Head of the Research Team Prof. KOJIMA Michihiro
Research Title A Study of the Rule of Samurai Feudal Lords in the Provinces of Medieval Japan
Head of the Research Team Assoc. Prof. TANAKA Hiroki
Research Period FY2016-2018
Purpose Medieval Japan saw the appearance of hereditary professional warriors called samurai and the establishment of their rule at the provincial level. This study examines Nagano-no-sho and Masuda-no-sho in Iwami Province, Ogi-gun in Bizen Province, and Okuyama-no-sho in Echigo Province through fieldwork, literature and archaeology review to identify factors in the acceptance of the rule of feudal lords in the provinces of Medieval Japan.
Result

In this research, an extensive and comprehensive investigation of a downstream area of the Iwamino-kuni Takatsugawa river and Masudagawa river (currently Masuda City in Shimane Prefecture) was conducted based on cooperative research in the philological, archaeological, and folkloric fields. Based on a comprehensive examination of comparative studies of investigation results of philological and archaeological literature and on-site interview results, a landscape of the home base, i.e., a foundation of existence of samurai, in the subject area, which developed in conformance to the geographical features of the river mouth, plain field, and mountainous area, was established. The factors affecting how the samurai feudal lords were accepted by local communities were clarified in a specific manner. The factors that contributed to the establishment of the rule of the feudal lords in this province were clarified as follows: (1) prayer for a peaceful local community; (2) acquisition of existing governmental functions; and (3) and lords’ involvement in the process of production and distribution of lumber, which was the most important resource in the area. The co-research members of the project reported specific results based on their areas of specialization, which led to concrete discussions concerning the general characteristics of the rule by the feudal lords by comparing the results achieved.

Diversified data were accumulated as a result of investigation of a wide range of documents relating to the subject matter from comprehensive research of the region. Partial results were reported in the Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the Brief Summary of Field Work at Feudal Masuda and No. 212 of the Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History.