The Ancient Japanese Good-Family Clans and Piracy (2-1) ——The Enclosure and the Salt Production around the Seto Inland Sea (1)——

From the first half of the 8th century to the latter half of the 9th century, central noble clans and temples enclosed the sea, islands and seashores, and urged large-scale salt production around the Seto Inland Sea. As a result, registered farmers and fishermen were locked out of seashores, and became hobos. In some enclosure cases, the central clans and temples enclosed the sea, islands and seashores to tap rice fields. Daian-ji Temple, for example, enclosed 1.5 square kilometers of land in Kmitsumichi, Mino and Tsudaka Counties, Bicchu Province. Todai-ji Temple enclosed Inano-sho in Kawabe County, Settsu Province. In the other cases, they enclosed the sea, islands and seashores to produce salt in a large scale. Horyu-ji Temple, for instance, enclosed 2 beaches in Inami and Shikama Counties, Harima Province. Gango-ji Temple enclosed Yakishio and Shioya in Asaguchi County, Bicchu Province. Saidai-ji Temple enclosed Shiogiyama in Harima Province and Shioyama in Samukawa County, Sanuki Province. Todai-ji Temple enclosed Shioyama in Ako County, Harima Province, where, as early as in the middle of the 8th century, Tomo Inukai (?-762.10.30), the then Harima Province governor, appointed Hata Oko as a deputy and tried to build salt pans. We can tell by the place-names that they were producing salt there. The Japanese phrase “shio” means salt.