In the 12th episode, "The Sudden 'Meigetsu Yojo' (broadcast on March 23rd)" of the NHK Taiga drama " UNBOUND (Berabou) " (General TV, Sunday 8pm and others), starring Ryusei Yokohama , it was revealed that the true identity of the popular playwright Houseidou Kisanji, who was all the rage at the time, was Tsutaya Juzaburo(Yokohama) was astounded.
In 1773, Hirasawa published "Tosei Fuzoku Tsu," a book based on his experience of visiting Yoshiwara, which could be considered a "guidebook on how to have fun," describing how to behave in the pleasure quarters and how to dress in a way that would impress prostitutes. This book became the bible for those visiting Yoshiwara.
◇ A mid-ranking samurai, but one who is highly respected and works at a brothel?!
Hirasawa's knowledge of Yoshiwara is closely related to his position as a rusuiyaku, a diplomat stationed at the feudal lord's Edo residence (domain residence). In addition to handling negotiations and business with the shogunate and other domains, he also collects information on the shogunate's movements.
What was unique was that there was a Rusui Association that promoted friendship between the Rusui officials across the boundaries of the domain. The Rusui officials had to explain the laws issued by the shogunate to the higher-ups of the domain. To prevent the interpretation of the laws from differing from domain to domain, the Rusui officials of each domain who belonged to the association held meetings to unify the interpretation. The Rusui Association was organized into groups based on the size of the domain and the family status of the domain lord, and Hirazawa's Akita Domain belonged to a group of nine daimyo families, including the Saga Domain, the Uwajima Domain, and the Tosa Domain.
The cost of the meetings was covered by each domain's entertainment expenses (public funds), and the number of social gatherings for entertainment purposes also increased. Social gatherings were also frequently held in Yoshiwara, and it was gossiped about behind their backs that "the russians worked at a brothel." There are also records that there were about 40 high-class restaurants in Edo that catered to the russians. The russians are said to be the forerunners of the company business, and the feudal lords of the russian group, of which the Satake domain was a part, are said to have spent between 200 and 500 ryo (about 20 to 50 million yen in today's value) on entertainment expenses each year.
In the 12th episode of "UNBOUND", Hirasawa lamented to Tsutaju that "these days, people are making a fuss about the entertainment of the caretaker, so I have no choice but to do it at my own expense". In fact, at that time, the shogunate repeatedly issued notices that the caretaker should not gather in Yoshiwara or restaurants. However, these notices were only followed temporarily, and were soon reinstated. The feudal lords' families also continued to find money to cover the entertainment expenses of the caretaker despite their financial difficulties.
If the feudal lord was absent from a social gathering because he was stingy and could not afford entertainment expenses, the caretaker would be ostracized by the association and would not be able to share information. Every domain had no choice but to tolerate the lavish spending of their caretakers. Caretakers were mid-ranking samurai, and the information they provided influenced policy decisions of the domain.
One of the rusuiyaku's jobs was to obtain advance information about public works projects, such as river improvements and new rice field development, that the shogunate would assign to the domains, and to engage in subversive activities to prevent them from being assigned. The costs of public works projects had to be borne by the domains themselves. The rusuiyaku had close ties with the secretaries of the senior councilors, and tried to avoid public works projects. In cases where they could not be avoided, they would ask other domains to join in and form joint ventures to reduce the burden. The rusuiyaku's network played an important role in these behind-the-scenes efforts as well.
◇ The demise of the Ako Domain and the Asano Clan due to the blunders of the Rusuiyaku
On the other hand, the rusiyaku were also competitors. When the feudal lord petitioned the rōjū for something, they would work behind the scenes through hatamoto who knew the rōjū well, to ensure that the request was handled smoothly. When there was trouble with another feudal lord's family, they would be at the forefront of negotiations. When the feudal lord came to Edo Castle, they would go there in advance to make sure the lord did not make any mistakes, and they would obtain useful information from officials who had access to important information about the shogunate. To that end, the rusiyaku would also take great care in deciding what kind of gifts to give to the lord each season.
There was an incident that served as a lesson. In 1701, Asano Takumi no Kami Naganori, the lord of Ako Domain in Banshu, stabbed Kira Kozukenosuke, the head of the Takaie clan, in Edo Castle, and the Asano clan was destroyed. This incident occurred while Asano was in charge of entertaining imperial envoys from the Imperial Court, but it was the second time that Asano had played this role. The first time (1683), 400 ryo was spent, and the second time, at Asano's instructions, a budget of 700 ryo was used. However, inflation had been building up during this time, and the Obi Domain (Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture), which had entertained imperial envoys four years earlier, had spent 1,200 ryo.
It is said that the relationship between the two deteriorated when Kira complained that 700 ryo was too little. The Ako clan's caretaker had to obtain information about expenses from other clans in advance and consult with the Asano clan's senior officials to make the payment larger than necessary. It was necessary to be clever about the gift so as not to upset Kira.
He is sociable, considerate and well-liked by others. He builds relationships with people who can ask for his advice or ask for favors. This is the ideal role for a house sitter. Hirasawa, played by Omi in "UNBOUND", is the perfect character for the role.
If Hirasawa had not been the house sitter, he would not have been able to frequent Yoshiwara so often, and he might not have published "Tosei Fuzoku Tsu" and become a bestselling author. Tsutae would also never have met Hirasawa, and he might not have become the "Edo media king" that he would become. (Text by Komatsu Kenichi)
◇Profile
Kenichi Komatsu Born in Osaka in 1958. Joined the Mainichi Shimbun in 1983. In charge of crime and administration in the Osaka and Tokyo social affairs departments. After that, he served as the head of the Bangkok branch, editor-in-chief of the evening edition, general manager of the North American bureau, and editorial committee member, before retiring in 2022. While he was an editorial committee member, he wrote the serial article "Walking with Onihei" for over a year, which overlapped the world of the historical novel "Onihei Hankacho" (written by Shotaro Ikenami, Bunshun Bunko) with the historical fact of Heizo Hasegawa and the society and customs of Edo. Based on that, he published "Tokyo in the 21st Century as Seen in Onihei Hankacho - A Reporter Goes with an Old Map in Hand" (CCC Media House). He is currently a lecturer at the Yomiuri/Nippon Television Cultural Center on learning about Edo from Onihei Hankacho.
