The Benibana Museum (The Safflower Museum)
18. Benibana for Tax Obligation (納税義務化された紅花)
The Map of old Japan
Where was benibana planted and grown in this country? How did the official get its seeds? According to the "Engishiki", they gave the obligation of tax to the male of 17 years old to 20 years old. Each had to pay 20 "monmes" (匁) of the flower. The map above shows the areas to adopt this rule. Twenty-four out of sixty-eight countries were counted for its tax.
Iga(伊賀),Ise(伊勢),Owari(尾張),Mikawa(三河),Suruga(駿河),Kai(甲斐),Sagami(相模),Musashi(武蔵),Awa(安房),Kazusa(上総),Simofusa(下総),Hitachi(常陸),Shinano(信濃),Kouzuke(上野),Shimotsuke(下野),Echizen(越前),Kaga(加賀),Ecchu(越中),Inaba(因幡),Houki(伯耆),Iwami(石見),Bingo(備後),Aki(安芸),Kii(紀伊)
The old countries above belong to the present next prefectures.
Mie(三重),Aichi(愛知),Shizuoka(静岡),Yamanashi(山梨),Kanagawa(神奈川),Tokyo(東京),Chiba(千葉),Ibaraki(茨城),Nagano(長野),Gunma(群馬),Tochigi(栃木),Fukui(福井),Ishikawa(石川),Toyama(富山),Tottori(鳥取),Shimane(島根),Hiroshima(広島),Wakayama(和歌山)
Yamagata Prefecture was not obliged to pay tax. "Engishiki" told that some countries remote from Kyoto were provided an exception to this rule. Benibana seemed to be planted except Kyushu (九州), Shikoku (四国) and Oou (奥羽) areas. At those ages, the circulation of benibana industry was not so largely merchandized. The consumption of benibana in noble society seemed to be accumulated high, but it was too luxurious for the common people to enjoy.