In
feudal Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to Japanese Paleolithic, prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millenni ...
, individual military and citizens groups were primarily responsible for self-defense until the unification of Japan by
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
in 1603. During the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
(1603–1868), the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
formed a centralized feudal government.
Samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
warriors who once protected Japan from foreign enemies and fought each other for supremacy became the new police and internal security force. Their new job would be to ensure civil peace, which they accomplished for over 250 years.
History
During the Edo period the authoritarian Tokugawa shogunate instituted an elaborate police/security state, an administrative hierarchy was developed, and rules and regulations controlling many aspects of life in Japan went into effect. This new system of government has been called a police state, possibly the world's first.
In 1868 the samurai era ended with the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and a new government came into power (
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji o ...
) and the samurai class was eventually abolished. In 1872, a former samurai,
Kawaji Toshiyoshi, was sent to Europe to study systems of policing and he recommended a restructuring based partially on French and Prussian systems. In 1874, a nationalized police force was created using European police systems as a model. This new police force was the start of the modern police system in Japan, though it was initially dominated by former samurai from Satsuma who were part of the driving force behind the removal of the Tokugawa shogunate. The new
Meiji period
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
police continued the Edo period method of Japanese police controlling societal behavior and internal security as well as preventing and solving crimes.
Organization
The Edo period police apparatus utilized a multi-layered bureaucracy which employed the services of a wide variety of Japanese citizens. High and low ranking samurai, former criminals, private citizens and even citizen groups (
Gonin Gumi The were groups of five households that were held collectively responsible, in a manner similar to the Frith-borh in England, during the Edo period of Japanese history. All households in the shogunate were members of such a group, with all member ...
) participated in keeping the peace and enforcing the laws and regulations of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Samurai police
* Machi-bugyō
During the Edo period, high ranking samurai with an allegiance to the Tokugawa shogunate (''
hatamoto'') were appointed ''
machi-bugyō'' (city administrators or commissioners). The machi-bugyō performed the roles of chief of police, prosecutor, judge and other judicial related business both criminal and civil in Edo and other major towns.
* Yoriki
Working under the machi-bugyō was the
yoriki
were members of the ''samurai'' class of feudal Japan. ''Yoriki'' literally means ''helper'' (ru - помощник) or ''assistant'' (ru - ассистент).
Description and history
''Yoriki'' assisted ''daimyō'' (feudal lords) or their desig ...
. Yoriki were samurai—they managed patrols and guard units composed of lower ranking police officials. Yoriki, being of a higher class, were able to ride a horse while performing their duties and were trusted to carry out assignments of high importance.
* Dōshin
Working under the yoriki was the dōshin. Dōshin were samurai but of a lower class than yoriki—they performed the duties of prison guard and patrol officer which required close contact with commoners (chonin). They investigated crimes such as murder and helped with executions.
Non-samurai police assistants
Edo period police relied heavily on commoners for assistance, from average village dwellers to the outcast hinin and eda castes. Members of the Japanese outcast were particularly helpful with guarding and executing prisoners, and disposing the bodies, something that samurai found to be repugnant (distasteful).
* Komono
Komono were non-samurai
chōnin
was a social class that emerged in Japan during the early years of the Tokugawa period. In the social hierarchy, it was considered subordinate to the samurai warrior class.
Social Class
The ''chōnin'' emerged in ''joka-machi'' or castle ...
who went with the dōshin on patrols and provided assistance.
* Okappiki
Okappiki were non-samurai from the lowest outcast class, often former criminals who worked for the dōshin as informers and spies.
* Gōyokiki/meakashi
Gōyokiki or meakashi were a non-samurai
chōnin
was a social class that emerged in Japan during the early years of the Tokugawa period. In the social hierarchy, it was considered subordinate to the samurai warrior class.
Social Class
The ''chōnin'' emerged in ''joka-machi'' or castle ...
or outcast class who were hired by local residents and merchants to work as police assistants in a particular neighborhood—they were often former criminals. The term "tesaki" was used to describe gōyokiki or meakashi later in the Edo period.
Duties
Investigating crimes, arresting and interrogating arrested suspects, torturing criminal suspects in order to obtain a confession, punishing convicted criminals including executions.
Equipment
Edo period police used a variety of armor and carried lethal and non-lethal weapons to capture criminal suspects. If possible, suspected criminals were taken alive. This meant that special weapons and tactics had to be created in order to accomplish this task.
Weapons
* Bansho rokugin or keigo roku-go: Edo period police stations were required to keep six kinds of weapons (''bansho rokugin or keigo roku-go'') available for use in case of disturbances. these were the kanamuchi, the kiriko no bo, the tetto, the sodegarami, the tsukubo, and the sasumata. Three of these tools were called ''
torimono sandōgu
The ''torimono sandōgu'' (also ''torimono hogu'' or ''mitsu dogu'') were known as the ''three tools of arresting''. The torimono sandōgu were three types of pole weapons used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan during the ...
'' ("three tools of arresting"), which consisted of the
sodegarami
The is a pole weapon that was used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.
History and description
The ''sodegarami'' is a type of man catcher. It is around in length, with multiple barbed heads facing forwards and backwards ...
,
sasumata, and
tsukubō. They were symbols of office and were often displayed in front of police checkpoints or used in processions, especially while convicted prisoners were being led to their execution.
* Sodegarami
* Sasumata
* Tsukubo
* Kanamuchi
* Kiriko no bo
*
Tetto
*
Metsubushi
or ''gantsubushi'' are a variety of implements and techniques that were used in feudal Japan by samurai police and other individuals to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient an opponent.
Description
One type of ''metsubushi'' was used ...
*
Jitte: an iron or wooden club or truncheon, the jitte was a non-lethal weapon and an official symbol of office.
* Te yari (hand spear): a small version of the
yari suitable for use in confined spaces.
*
Kusari fundo/manriki
Weapons
File:Sasumata.JPG, Sasumata
File:Tsekubo.JPG, Tsukubo
File:Sodegarami.JPG, Sodegarami
The is a pole weapon that was used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan.
History and description
The ''sodegarami'' is a type of man catcher. It is around in length, with multiple barbed heads facing forwards and backwards ...
File:Antique Japanese (samurai) wooden jutte.jpg, Jitte
File:Kanamuchi or kanemuchi 1.jpg, Kanamuchi
File:Metsubushi.jpg, Metsubushi
or ''gantsubushi'' are a variety of implements and techniques that were used in feudal Japan by samurai police and other individuals to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient an opponent.
Description
One type of ''metsubushi'' was used ...
File:Manriki.JPG, Kusari-fundo/manriki
File:Aribo (gojo or kirikobo).jpg, Kriko no bo/aribo
Armour
Edo period police and assistants wore chain armour clothing, armour for the hands, and armour for the head.
File:Hachi gane or hitai ate.JPG, Hachi-gane (forehead protector).
File:Kusari katabira 4.JPG, Kusari katabira and kusari zukin (chain armor jacket and hood).
File:Kote gauntlets 1.JPG, Han kote (gauntlets).
See also
*
Criminal punishment in Edo-period Japan During the Edo period, Japan (1603-1868) used various punishments against criminals.
Categories of punishment
During the Edo period, Japan used various punishments against criminals.
These can be categorized as follows:
* Capital punishment
* Pri ...
*
Jitte
*
Law enforcement in Japan
*
Shinsengumi
*
Torimono sandōgu
The ''torimono sandōgu'' (also ''torimono hogu'' or ''mitsu dogu'') were known as the ''three tools of arresting''. The torimono sandōgu were three types of pole weapons used by the samurai class and their retainers in feudal Japan during the ...
Citations
General references
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Original edition online
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External links
ROLES AND TECHNIQUES OF THE POLICE DURING THE EDO PERIOD (1603–1867) by Dr. Kacem Zoughari
{{Japanese (samurai) weapons, armour and equipment
Defunct law enforcement agencies of Japan
Edo period
Government of feudal Japan
Ninja