The Expansion of Manors; the Enclosure of Rice Paddy Fields and the Establishment of Tripartite Division

    From the first half of the 8th century to the latter half of the 9th century, central noble clans and powerful temples enclosed the sea, islands and seashores around the Seto Inland Sea.  As a result, a substantial number of fishermen were locked out of seashores, and became hobos and tramps.

    In some cases, they enclosed the sea, islands and seashores to produce salt on 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), 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.

    In some other enclosure cases, the central noble clans and powerful temples enclosed the sea, islands and seashores to reclaim rice paddy fields from marshes and mudflats.  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 other words, they built new manors.  What did this have to do with bringing about pirates?