Swimming in Edo Law Digitally, and a Battle of One-Upmanship Across Time and Space: Tenmei 7 (1787) ~Old Document Struggle Log~ #042

When delving into historical books from the Edo period, one term that cannot be avoided is "Ofuregaki Shusei." It is a collection of laws issued by the shogunate, much like a modern-day "compendium of laws." It is truly the rulebook of Edo, packed with the "justice" that the government of the time established to address the issues of the day.

"I want to read the original text someday"... The modern, wonderful technology known as the "National Institute of Japanese Literature Database" is what makes this wish of mine come true.

A mountain of treasure, or perhaps a "sea of old documents"

I was speechless when I peeked into this database, which is published by the National Institute of Japanese Literature.
Valuable classical books scattered both domestically and internationally are being made available in high-definition images, and for free at that. While pressing my hands together in my heart to say, "Thank you so much for the cultural promotion budget...", I set sail into the sea of old documents.

Detailed regulations from the Temple and Shrine Magistrate, and stories about "rice," which was the foundation of the economy at the time.

The sheer volume of information is dizzying just by looking at the titles, but this time, having learned the interesting fact that they were "revised from time to time," I set my target on the Tenmei version (Tenmei 7) of the "Buke Shohatto" (Laws for the Military Houses).

It was data from the National Diet Library, so I used that. Since the copyright protection period has also expired, I will make use of it gratefully.

The modern three sacred treasures: databases, AI, and apps

What appeared on the screen was beautiful yet formidable cursive script.
There are parts I can read on my own, but there are also many places where I am not confident. Here, I will make full use of modern wisdom.

First, the "Fuminoha" cursive script decoding app "Old Document Camera."
I hold my smartphone over it to read the image and get an idea of the characters.

Then, I threw the obtained transcribed text at Gemini and asked for a modern Japanese translation and an explanation of the context.

Decoding using the power of civilization!

[Transcription: Tenmei 7, Year of the Sheep, September, Buke Shohatto]

Since this is an amateur's reading, accuracy cannot be guaranteed 😢

[Rough modern Japanese translation]

1. Literary and Military Arts and Filial Piety: Strive for academic and martial arts, loyalty and filial piety, and maintain proper etiquette.

2. Rules for Sankin-kotai (Alternate Attendance): Sankin-kotai must strictly adhere to the designated time each year. Also, the number of retainers brought along must not be excessively large (flashy performances are prohibited).

3. Military Equipment Befitting One's Status: Always keep transport laborers, horses, weapons, and armor properly prepared in accordance with your status (kokudaka).

Was there a 'one-upmanship battle' in the Edo period too?

What I saw after deciphering it was the surprisingly human struggle of the Shogunate.

In other words,'You must strictly follow the timing for Sankin-kotai. Also, don't pointlessly increase the number of retainers you bring with you.' is what it means.

I can picture the scene where the daimyo, staking their prestige, were competing to 'one-up' each other with flashy processions. The Shogunate must have felt compelled to put their foot down and say, 'Act according to your status.'

Thinking that perhaps the essence of human nature hasn't changed—whether it's showing off on modern social media or the Edo period's Sankin-kotai—made me grin involuntarily.

Endless Struggle

Of course, not everything went smoothly.
When I peeked at another document, there were pages where the cursive style was even more intense, looking like nothing more than 'symbols'...

It is truly a 'struggle diary,' where I can only advance one step at a time with the help of digital power.
Even so, the moment I can hear the breathing of a samurai from several hundred years ago after a few minutes of struggle is a pleasure that cannot be replaced by anything else.

【Deciphering Memo for this time】

• Tenmei 7 Edition: Buke Shohatto (Laws for the Military Houses)

• Points: Diligent practice of literary and military arts and filial piety, thorough adherence to Sankin-kotai rules, and military equipment befitting one's status (behaving according to one's rank).

Which 'sea' shall I drown in next?
My exploration of ancient documents continues.

Disclaimer
As an amateur, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the reading or content of the ancient documents 😢 Please check the original source 😉