Samurai-dokoro

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The Samurai-dokoro (侍所 Board of Retainers) was an office of the Kamakura and Muromachi shogunates.

Samurai-dokoro originally referred to a box of the residence of the imperial family and high-ranking nobles where security guards stationed.

[edit] The Samurai-dokoro of the Kamakura shogunate

In the Kamakura shogunate, Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Samurai-dokoro in 1180, and appointed Wada Yoshimori as the director (別当 bettō) and Kajiwara Kagetoki as the vice-director (所司 shoshi). Along with the Kumonjo and Monchujo, the Samurai-dokoro became one of the central organ of the shogunate. Its role was to guard the shogunate and give judgment on criminals in peacetime and to take the leadership of gokenin in wartime.

After the destruction of the Wada family in 1213, the top position of bettō was held by the Hōjō regents and several vice-directors were appointed.

In 1219, the Kosamurai-dokoro was separated from the Samurai-dokoro. The samurai-dokoro came solely to supervise the political authority and give judgment. The number of vice-director was also reduced to one and it was occupied by the Nagasaki family.

[edit] The Samurai-dokoro of the Muromachi shogunate

The Samurai-dokoro and Kosamurai-dokoro were taken over by the Muromachi shogunate. The director was called shoshi or 'tōnin (頭人) instead of bettō and several vice-directors (所司代 shoshidai) were installed.

From 1353 to 1385 the director also held the post of the Governor of Yamashiro. The samurai-dokoro controlled only the gokenin in Yamashiro. As a result of further weakening, the samurai-dokoro only took on the administration of Kyoto until being abolished in the late 15th century.

In the middle Muromachi period, the director was occupied in rotation by the families of Yamana, Akamatsu, Isshiki and Kyogoku, who were called shishiki (四職).