Toilet Affairs in Edo Part II: Dispossession Due to Incontinence

In an era that valued the prestige of the samurai and the honor of the family name, there are several recorded instances where a "gaffe" related to excretion led to a downfall in one's life or family fortune.

Particularly famous are the stories surrounding Tadayoshi Yamauchi (the second lord of the Tosa Domain) in the early Edo period, as well as cases involving hatamoto (direct retainers of the shogun) who were actually punished.

1. The "Impiety" of Masatatsu Hachisuka (a senior retainer of the Awa Tokushima Domain)

Strictly speaking, he was not a daimyo himself, but a famous incident involving someone in a position equivalent to a daimyo is that of Masatatsu Hachisuka of the Tokushima Domain.

Incident: In 1667, while visiting Zojo-ji Temple for a memorial service for Shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna, he went so far as to urinate in the corridor of the temple.

Result: This "indiscreet and impious" behavior came to the attention of the shogunate, and Masatatsu was ordered to be dispossessed (stripped of his fief) and to commit seppuku. The crime of defiling a sacred space was considered that grave.

2. The "Gaffe at the Entrance" of Hatamoto Masatomo Naito

Although not a daimyo, there is also a record concerning a hatamoto directly under the shogun.

Incident: In 1701 (coincidentally the same year as the Ako Incident), the hatamoto Masatomo Naito committed a gaffe (incontinence) at the entrance of Edo Castle or his official residence.

Result: He was subjected to severe punishment, including dispossession (confiscation of his territory) and being placed under the custody of relatives, on the grounds that he had "severely tarnished his dignity as a samurai." In modern times, this might be dismissed as a "health issue," but at the time, it was viewed as a "lack of self-management ability, meaning he was unfit to be a samurai."

3. The "Narrow Escape" of Tadayoshi Yamauchi

There is an anecdote about Tadayoshi Yamauchi, the second lord of the Tosa Domain, who narrowly avoided dispossession.

Incident: During a meeting at Edo Castle, perhaps due to extreme nervousness or a sudden stomach ache, Tadayoshi had an accident in the castle corridor.

Response: It was a disgraceful act that would normally have made dispossession inevitable, but it is said that the senior councilors present intentionally ignored it, claiming "this must be some mistake (or a misseeing)," or that his retainers took the blame and cleaned up the mess, somehow managing to hush the matter up.

Why does a "gaffe" lead to dispossession?

In the legal system of the Edo period, the reasons for punishing daimyo and samurai were not merely about "filth."

Crime of Impiety: Defiling sacred spaces such as Edo Castle or temples and shrines was considered an act of rebellion against the shogun, the gods, and the Buddha.

Samurai Etiquette: The logic was that "those who cannot manage their own personal affairs are unfit to govern a domain or a castle."

Suspicion of Insanity: Committing a gaffe in a public place was used as evidence that one had "lost their sanity," and to prevent this from becoming a spark for a "family dispute," the shogunate took the preemptive measure of dispossession.