Explore the people and offices involved in governing a castle town.

The idea

大名 was a domain lord; 家老 was a senior retainer entrusted with important domain affairs. 町奉行 was a town magistrate involved in administration and justice. The examples use modern polite Japanese.

Examples

  • 大名だいみょうは城しろを拠点きょてんにしました。The daimyo used the castle as a base.
  • 家老かろうは藩はんの重要じゅうような仕事しごとを任まかされました。A chief retainer was entrusted with important domain affairs.
  • 町奉行まちぶぎょうは町まちの行政ぎょうせいや裁判さいばんに関かかわりました。A town magistrate was involved in town administration and justice.
  • 役人やくにんは記録きろくを調しらべました。The official examined the records.
  • 町人ちょうにんは役人やくにんに願ねがいを伝つたえました。A townsman conveyed a request to an official.
  • 役職やくしょくの名前なまえや仕事しごとは藩はんや時代じだいによって違ちがいました。Office titles and duties varied by domain and period.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not treat 町人, a townsman, as an office. Titles and duties varied between domains and over time.

Try it yourself

  1. 藩はんの重要じゅうような仕事しごとを任まかされる役職やくしょくは？ （家老かろう／町人ちょうにん）

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    家老

    家老 is the senior retainer; 町人 means a townsman.

  2. 町まちの行政ぎょうせいや裁判さいばんに関かかわる役職やくしょくは？ （町奉行まちぶぎょう／大名だいみょう）

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    町奉行

    町奉行 is the town magistrate involved in administration and justice; 大名 is a lord.

  3. 城しろを拠点きょてんにした領主りょうしゅは？ （大名だいみょう／役人やくにん）

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    大名

    大名 is the lord; 役人 is a general term for an official.

Use it today

Describe a request to an official using 町人 and 役人.