Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: Machi bugyo

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French version

Machi bugyo

町奉行
alternative words: Machi bugyou, Machibugyo, City commissioner
keywords: title
related topics: Edo period , Daimyo , Bugyo , Hatamoto
explanation: Town administrators of Edo period. They dealt also criminal or judicial affairs of chonin (merchants and craftsmen) but not samurai. Though each Daimyo had own machi bugyo, those of Edo shogunate were by far the most important due to the size of towns. For example, Tokyo was divided into 2 sectors, Minami machi (south town) and Kita machi (north town) and each sector has 2 machi bugyo who worked in rotation per month. They were chosen among high ranked Hatamoto.