Baba Family Documents

The Hirao family has a collection of 50 ancient documents from the Edo period. The contents of these documents include land survey records, litigation documents regarding boundary disputes, official proclamations, village regulations, and village maps, providing valuable historical materials to understand the state of Hirao village and the lives of farmers during the Edo period. The documents were created over a span of 239 years, from the 3rd year of the Kan'ei era (1626) to the 2nd year of the Genji era (1865), with the "Water Records of Hirao Village in Bushu Tsuzuki District" from the 3rd year of Kan'ei being the oldest modern document currently in the city. Among the 50 ancient documents, we will introduce particularly important fundamental historical materials. (Additionally, the Hirao family also preserves modern historical materials from the Meiji era onwards.)

Water Account of Hirao Village, Makioka, Tsuzuki District, Bushu (Baba Family Documents 1)

This document was created in the 3rd year of the Kan'ei era (1626) and is the oldest among the land survey records remaining in the city. It includes details such as the names of the land (location names), rankings (Ueda, Nakada, Shimoda, etc.), area (the size of a piece of land), and the name of the requester (the cultivator or land rights holder).

Submission of the Momura Village Commoners' Signature Document (Baba Family Documents 15)

Around the mid-Edo period, incidents of illegally entering others' forests to steal fallen leaves and underbrush in search of fertilizer sources became frequent. In response, village rules were established within the community, and the monitoring system among farmers was strengthened. This historical document was created in the 14th year of the Horeki era (1764) and states in the village rules that "not only fallen leaves and standing trees adjacent to residential land and rice fields but also fallen leaves and standing trees in forests and common land must not be cut without permission." Strict penalties are imposed for violations of this rule.

Bushu Tsuzuki District Katahira Village Furusawa Village Yodo District Hirao Village Noron no Koto (Baba Family Documents 4)

There are villages in certain areas that jointly utilize mountains and fields, and this land is called common land. As agricultural productivity increased, the degree of utilization also rose, often leading to disputes. In the villages of Inagi, disputes over common land also arose, but the most notable is the boundary dispute between Hirao Village, which is introduced in this historical document, and the neighboring Katahira and Furusawa Villages. A dispute arose over the claim that the residents of Katahira and Furusawa utilized the fields of Hirao Village. The adjudication office confirmed both parties' claims, investigated related documents, and rendered a judgment. The content stated, "The new boundary proposed by Hirao Village is not acceptable, so the boundary will be defined by a line passing through the two mounds (Nijōzuka and Jūsanzuka) that have existed since ancient times. From now on, the residents of Katahira and Furusawa are prohibited from entering the fields of Hirao Village." This historical document, created in the 3rd year of the Jōkyō era (1686), features a map on the front showing the boundary line and a judgment document on the back, known as the "Judgment Map."

Hirao Village Map (Baba Family Documents 44・50)

Two maps of the entire Hirao village remain. The year of creation is not recorded, but it is believed to belong to the Edo period. Rice fields, farmland, forests, houses, and shrines are depicted in detail.