|
---|
|
|
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Japan before Meiji Restoration.
Contents |
Before the establishment of Shūmon Ninbetsu Aratame Chō (宗門人別改帳 religious and population investigation registers ) system by the Tokugawa shogunate, several less reliable sources esisted upon which an estimate of the population of Japan was made. The first record of the population of Japan was the "Records of Three Kingdoms" (simplified Chinese: 三国志; traditional Chinese: 三國志; pinyin: Sānguó Zhì), where the number of houses in eight countries of Wō (Wa (倭 Japan, Japanese )) was estimated at 159,000.
The household registration system (Hukou (simplified Chinese: 户口; traditional Chinese: 戶口; pinyin: hùkǒu) or Huji (simplified Chinese: 户籍; traditional Chinese: 戶籍; pinyin: hùjí)), which is called koseki (戸籍 family registries ) in Japanese, was introduced from ancient China to Japan during the 7th century. According to "Nihon Shoki (日本書記 )", the first koseki system, called Kōgo no Nen Jaku (庚午年籍 ) or Kōin no Nen Jaku (庚寅年籍 ), was established in 670 or 690, and was to be readministered every 6 years. However, most of the original koseki texts were lost because they were to be preserved only 30 years. The oldest koseki fragments - which were reused as reinforcement papers (Shihai Monjo (紙背文書 scroop document )) in Shōsōin (正倉院 ) - records names, ages and estates of 124 persons including slaves in a village named Kawabe no Sato (川辺里 ) (present day Shima, Fukuoka). A discarded lacquer-coated paper document (Urushigami Monjo (漆紙文書 lacquer paper document )) found in Kanoko C Ruins (鹿ノ子C遺跡 ), Ishioka, Ibaraki records that the total population of families of taxpayers in Hitachi no kuni (常陸国 ) in 795 was 191,660 (excluding families of officers, families of workers for Shintō shrines and slaves); this is the only reliable remaining census recorded for a whole Province before the Edo period. The ancient koseki system was later collapsed during early Heian period, when noblemen achieved power as landowners of Shōen.
The following estimates by different scholars are based upon the number of houses, villages, kokudaka, areas of rice fields and soldiers which were recorded in "Wamyō Ruijushō (和名類聚抄 )" (10th century), "Record of Sung (Chinese: 宋史; pinyin: Sòng Shǐ)", "Shūgaishō (拾芥抄 )" (14th century), "Tenshōki (天正記 )" (late 16th century), "Tōdaiki (当代記 )" (earyl 17th century), or fragments papers of Shōsōin (8th century) and others, as well as remnants of specific periods.
Year | Estimated Population |
Estimated Population |
Estimated Population |
Estimated Population |
---|---|---|---|---|
6100 BC | 20,100 | |||
3200 BC | 105,500 | |||
2300 BC | 261,300 | |||
1300 BC | 160,300 | |||
900 BC | 75,800 | |||
400 BC | 100,000 | |||
200 BC | 100,000 | 200,000 | ||
1 AD | 300,000 | 300,000 | ||
200 | 700,000 | 594,900 | 500,000 | |
400 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | ||
500 | 2,000,000 | |||
600 | 3,000,000 | 4,000,000 | ||
700 | 5,000,000 | |||
715 | 4,512,200 | |||
730 | 5,800,000– 6,400,000 |
|||
800 | 4,000,000 | 5,506,200 | 6,000,000 | |
900 | 6,441,400 | 7,000,000 | ||
950 | 4,400,000– 5,600,000 |
|||
1000 | 4,500,000 | 7,000,000 | ||
1100 | 5,750,000 | 7,000,000 | ||
1150 | 6,836,900 | 5,500,000– 6,300,000 |
||
1200 | 7,500,000 | 6,000,000 | ||
1250 | 6,000,000 | |||
1280 | 5,700,000– 6,200,000 |
|||
1300 | 9,750,000 | 7,000,000 | ||
1340 | 7,000,000 | |||
1400 | 12,500,000 | 8,000,000 | ||
1450 | 9,600,000– 10,500,000 |
|||
1500 | 17,000,000 | 8,000,000 | ||
1600 | 22,000,000 | 12,273,000 | 12,000,000 | 15,000,000– 17,000,000 |
1650 | 25,000,000 | 17,497,900 | ||
1700 | 29,000,000 | 28,287,200 | 28,000,000 |
Since Kyōtō (or Heian-kyō) became the capital of Japan in 794, Kyōtō has been one of the most important cities in Japan. Hiraizumi and Kamakura flourished under Northern Fujiwara clans (during 12th century) and Kamakura shogunate (1192 to 1333), respectively. The urban of Kyōtō suffered from the Ōnin War (1467 to 1477) and split into two districts, but coalesced into a great city of more than 400,000 inhabitants after the end of Sengoku period. The Christian missionaries led by Francis Xavier reported that the number of houses in Kyōtō, Yamaguchi or Hakata was more than 90,000, more than 10,000 or 10,000, respectively, in the late 16th century according to History of Japan written by Luís Fróis. After the unification of Japan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ōsaka grew into the populous city with tens of thousand people. Several castle towns also began to grow, where samurai classes were settled.
Year | Asuka | Heijō-kyō
(Nara) |
Heian-kyō
(Kyōtō) |
Hiraizumi | Hakata | Kamakura | Yamaguchi | Sakai | Ōsaka | Sumpu
(Shizuoka) |
Edo
(Tōkyō) |
Kanazawa |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
622 | 50,000– 60,000 |
|||||||||||
750 | 100,000 | |||||||||||
800 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
900 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
925 | 200,000 | |||||||||||
1000 | 175,000 | |||||||||||
1100 | 175,000 | |||||||||||
1150 | 150,000 | 50,000 | 9,000 | |||||||||
1200 | 100,000 | [6] 175,000 | ||||||||||
1250 | 70,000 | [6] 200,000 | ||||||||||
1300 | 40,000 | [6] 200,000 | ||||||||||
1350 | [7] 8,000 | 150,000 | ||||||||||
1400 | 150,000 | 40,000 | ||||||||||
1450 | 8,000 | 150,000 | (1471) 50,000 |
35,000 | ||||||||
1500 | 40,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 30,000 | 25,000– 26,000 |
|||||||
1550 | 10,000 | 100,000 | (1570) 17,000 |
60,000 | 60,000 | [7](1562) 10,000 |
[7](1530) 10,000 |
|||||
1575 | 300,000 | (1579) 35,000 |
90,000 | 75,000 | (1583) 100,000 |
|||||||
1600 | 300,000 | 50,000 | 80,000 | (1582) 82,000 |
[8] 280,000 | 100,000 | 60,000 | 50,000 |
After the Shimabara Rebellion, several daimyo adopted certification systems where all the individuals were to be registered to temples and shrines to avoid Christianity. The Danka system (or terauke seido (寺請制度 temple-certification system )) was officially set by Tokugawa shogunate in 1664, and demographic data of individuals registered to temples and shrines (Shūmon Ninbetsu Aratame Chō) were recorded. After decades, Tokugawa Yoshimune decided to survey the total population of Japan and ordered to collect demographic data of all the domains (han (藩 )) and shogunate territories (tenryō (天領 )). The first census was surveyed every six years since 1721 and finished in 1852, because the confusion after the Perry Expedition and death of Tokugawa Ieyoshi in 1853 postponed the calculation process of the demographic data collected in 1852, according to Suijin Roku (吹塵録 ) edited by (Katsu Kaishū (勝海舟 ).
Some of population censuses during Edo era remain recorded in diaries or official texts as below. The population of samurai class and their servants as well as imperial families and noblemen was officially excluded from the census. In addition, the demographic data were summarized by individual domains according to their rules, where babies and children, Buddhist monks, nuns and Shintō priests, discriminated classes of eta and hinin were sometimes excluded from the total population. Unregistered people were also excluded.
The estimated population of Japan in 1600 ranges from 11 to 22 million, then a rapid population growth took place during the early Edo era to bring Japan to a country of about 30 million inhabitants by 1721,[9] though more precise total population estimates remain arguable.
Year in |
Year in |
No. of Bakufu |
Total | Male | Female | Sources | Estimated Population |
Estimated Population |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1721 | Kyōhō 6 | 1st | 26,065,425 | Chikkyō Yohitsu Besshū (竹橋余筆別集 ) (Ōta Nampo (大田南畝 )), Sanka Manroku (三暇謾録 ) |
30,496,900 | 31,278,500 | ||
1726 | Kyōhō 11 | 2nd | 26,548,998 | Chikkyō Yohitsu Besshū, Suijin Roku | 31,104,400 | |||
1732 | Kyōhō 17 | 3rd | 26,921,816 | 14,407,107 | 12,514,709 | Chikkyō Yohitsu Besshū, Suijinroku, Kinotomi Zakki (乙巳雑記) |
31,498,500 | |
1744 | Enkyō 3 | 5th | 26,153,450 | Kanchū Hisaku (官中秘策 ) (Nishiyama Genbun (西山元文 )) |
30,599,500 | |||
1750 | Kan'en 3 | 6th | 25,917,830 | 13,818,654 | 12,099,176 | Kanchū Hisaku, Suijinroku, Kan-en Sannen Okuni Jinkō Hyō (寛延三年御国人口表 ) |
30,323,900 | 31,010,800 |
1756 | Hōreki 6 | 7th | 26,070,712 | 13,833,311 | 12,228,919 | Kanchū Hisaku, Chiri Shi (地理誌 ), Koku Shi (国史 ) Nihon Kokugun Enkaku Kō (日本国郡沿革考 )[11] |
30,502,700 | 31,282,500 |
1762 | Hōreki 12 | 8th | 25,921,458 | 13,785,400 | 12,136,058 | Suijinroku | 30,328,100 | |
1768 | Meiwa 5 | 9th | 26,252,057 | Suijinroku | 30,714,900 | |||
1774 | An'ei 3 | 10th | 25,990,451 | Suijinroku | 30,408,800 | |||
1780 | An'ei 9 | 11th | 26,010,600 | Suijinroku | 30,432,400 | |||
1786 | Tenmei 6 | 12th | 25,086,466 | 13,230,656 | 11,855,810 | Suijinroku, Tenmei Kansei Ninzū Chō (天明寛政人数帳 ) |
29,351,200 | 30,103,800 |
1792 | Kansei 4 | 13th | 24,891,441 | 13,034,521 | 11,856,920 | Kasshi Yawa (甲子夜話 ) (Matsuura Seizan (松浦静山 )), Suijingorku, Kansei Yo-nen Shokoku Ninzū Chō (寛政四年諸国人数帳 ) |
29,123,000 | 29,869,700 |
1798 | Kansei 10 | 14th | 25,471,033 | 13,360,520 | 12,110,513 | Kasshi Yawa, Suijinroku, Kansei Jū-nen Oyobi Bunsei Go-nen Kunibetsu Ninzū Chō (寛政十年及文政五年国別人数帳 ) |
29,801,100 | 30,565,200 |
1804 | Bunka 1 | 15th | 25,621,957 | 13,427,249 | 12,194,708 | Suijinroku, Tenmei Kansei Ninzū Chō (天明寛政人数帳 ) |
29,977,690 | 30,746,400 |
1822 | Bunsei 5 | 18th | 26,602,110 | 13,894,436 | 12,707,674 | Tokugawa Rizai Kaiyō (徳川理財会要 ), Kansei Jū-nen Oyobi Bunsei Go-nen Kunibetsu Ninzū Chō |
31,124,500 | 31,913,500 |
1828 | Bunsei 11 | 19th | 27,201,400 | 14,160,736 | 13,040,664 | Bunkyōkō Jitsuroku (文恭公実録 ), Tokugawa Rizai Kaiyō, Taihei Nenpyō (泰平年表 ) |
31,825,600 | 32,625,800 |
1834 | Tenpo 5 | 20th | 27,063,907 | 14,053,455 | 13,010,452 | Tenpō Go-nen Kōgō Shokoku Ninzū-Chō (天保午年諸国人数帳 ) | 31,664,800 | 32,476,700 |
1840 | Tenpo 11 | 21st | 25,918,412 | 13,559,384 | 12,559,028 | Tenpō Jūichi-nen Kōgō Shokoku Ninzū-Chō (天保十一年諸国人数帳 ) | 31,102,100 | |
1846 | Kōka 3 | 22nd | 26,907,625 | 13,854,043 | 13,053,582 | Suijinroku | 31,481,900 | 32,297,200 |
Jul 28, 1870 | 7th month, 1st day Meiji 3 |
32,773,698 | 16,733,698 | 16,061,199 | Kōgo-nen Gaisan (庚午年概算 )[12] (Total Koseki Population) |
34,620,000 | ||
Mar 8, 1872 | 1st month, 29th day Meiji 5 |
33,110,825 | 16,796,158 | 16,314,667 | Nihon Zenkoku Koseki hyō (日本全国戸籍表 ) (Total Koseki Population) |
34,883,000 | 34,806,000 | |
Jan 1, 1873 | Jan 1, Meiji 5 | 33,300,644 | 16,891,715 | 16,408,929 | Nihon Zenkoku Koseki hyō (Total Koseki Population) |
35,069,000 | 34,985,000 |
Some demographic data for former provinces or kuni (国 ) remain recorded. Similarly to the total population, recorded provincial population excludes ruling and exceptional classes, while that in 1873 (after Meiji Restoration) includes all the registered people.
Province | Japanese | 1721 | 1750 | 1756[13] | 1786 | 1792 | 1798 | 1804 | 1822[14] | 1828 | 1824 | 1840 | 1846[15] | 1873 (all |
Area (hōri)[16] |
Area (km2) |
Rice production (Koku) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kinai | 畿内 | 2,249,792 | 2,139,480 | 2,170,087 | 2,041,309 | 2,027,334 | 2,048,799 | 2,017,310 | 2,065,967 | 2,099,644 | 2,077,269 | 1,935,301 | 1,998,736 | 2,036,842 | 445.59 | 6,872.54 | 1,615,524 |
Yamashiro no kuni | 山城国 | 564,994 | 522,626 | 527,334 | 507,488 | 506,324 | 480,993 | 469,519 | 478,652 | 498,296 | 488,726 | 445,432 | 452,140 | 431,453 | 73.08 | 1,127.15 | 230,131 |
Yamato no kuni | 大和国 | 413,331 | 374,041 | 367,724 | 336,254 | 329,286 | 344,043 | 340,706 | 346,319 | 356,627 | 360,071 | 338,571 | 361,157 | 423,004 | 201.42 | 3,106.60 | 501,361 |
Kawachi no kuni | 河内国 | 243,820 | 231,266 | 206,568 | 205,585 | 209,296 | 218,102 | 214,945 | 244,816 | 223,747 | 224,822 | 211,559 | 224,055 | 239,191 | 43.99 | 678.48 | 293,786 |
Izumi no kuni | 和泉国 | 218,405 | 207,952 | 226,480 | 190,762 | 190,466 | 199,083 | 202,283 | 205,545 | 208,884 | 207,211 | 189,786 | 197,656 | 212,251 | 33.47 | 516.22 | 172,847 |
Settsu no kuni | 摂津国 | 809,242 | 803,595 | 841,981 | 801,220 | 791,962 | 806,578 | 789,857 | 790,635 | 812,090 | 796,439 | 749,953 | 763,728 | 730,943 | 93.63 | 1,444.10 | 417,399 |
Tōkaidō | 東海道 | 6,612,784 | 6,602,016 | 6,522,189 | 6,031,917 | 5,864,119 | 6,061,401 | 6,032,987 | 6,182,091 | 6,377,212 | 6,169,363 | 6,192,155 | 6,425,259 | 7,451,669 | 2,660.63 | 41,036.15 | 6,652,127 |
Iga no kuni | 伊賀国 | 95,978 | 91,392 | 88,526 | 82,352 | 79,648 | 80,647 | 80,196 | 85,636 | 87,949 | 89,243 | 88,616 | 91,774 | 97,190 | 47.34 | 730.15 | 110,096 |
Ise no kuni | 伊勢国 | 543,737 | 523,037 | 519,187 | 478,906 | 462,682 | 477,899 | 476,500 | 494,640 | 498,171 | 499,958 | 480,032 | 499,874 | 581,669 | 231.15 | 3,565.14 | 716,451 |
Shima no kuni | 志摩国 | 31,856 | 34,068 | 34,261 | 37,184 | 36,888 | 38,617 | 37,875 | 40,401 | 40,919 | 41,888 | 39,210 | 40,693 | 46,943 | 19.74 | 304.46 | 21,470 |
Owari no kuni | 尾張国 | 554,561 | 553,340 | 576,363 | 595,264 | 582,183 | 605,084 | 605,686 | 631,809 | 646,555 | 643,977 | 622,539 | 653,678 | 731,974 | 104.18 | 1,606.82 | 545,875 |
Mikawa no kuni | 三河国 | 416,204 | 419,283 | 425,745 | 419,349 | 360,795 | 423,893 | 420,697 | 437,019 | 439,635 | 440,264 | 421,432 | 431,800 | 485,470 | 208.62 | 3,217.64 | 466,080 |
Tōtōmi no kuni | 遠江国 | 342,663 | 333,744 | 341,724 | 332,100 | 334,246 | 352,033 | 342,398 | 386,581 | 361,236 | 360,818 | 350,967 | 363,959 | 416,543 | 196.44 | 3,029.79 | 369,552 |
Suruga no kuni | 駿河国 | 245,834 | 313,819 | 250,582 | 242,165 | 242,457 | 248,127 | 252,072 | 288,824 | 270,763 | 253,848 | 274,705 | 286,290 | 369,731 | 219.77 | 3,389.62 | 250,538 |
Kai no kuni | 甲斐国 | 291,168 | 311,193 | 317,349 | 305,934 | 284,474 | 309,604 | 297,903 | 291,675 | 391,499 | 318,474 | 300,152 | 310,273 | 362,973 | 289.85 | 4,470.49 | 312,159 |
Izu no kuni | 伊豆国 | 96,650 | 105,120 | 105,272 | 120,629 | 98,226 | 102,551 | 125,505 | 134,722 | 136,796 | 144,595 | 110,523 | 115,197 | 150,549 | 106.11 | 1,636.58 | 84,171 |
Sagami no kuni | 相模国 | 312,638 | 310,796 | 305,569 | 279,427 | 277,699 | 277,211 | 278,068 | 269,839 | 289,376 | 294,009 | 285,196 | 303,271 | 359,598 | 128.87 | 1,987.62 | 286,719 |
Musashi no kuni | 武蔵国 | 1,903,316 | 1,771,214 | 1,774,064 | 1,626,968 | 1,634,048 | 1,666,131 | 1,654,368 | 1,694,255 | 1,717,455 | 1,714,054 | 1,721,359 | 1,777,371 | 1,968,753 | 391.63 | 6,040.29 | 1,281,431 |
Awa no kuni | 安房国 | 115,579 | 158,440 | 137,565 | 125,052 | 130,836 | 133,513 | 132,993 | 139,662 | 140,830 | 144,581 | 139,442 | 143,500 | 155,331 | 34.86 | 537.66 | 95,736 |
Kazusa no kuni | 上総国 | 407,552 | 453,460 | 438,788 | 388,542 | 376,441 | 368,831 | 364,560 | 372,347 | 362,411 | 364,240 | 358,714 | 360,761 | 423,596 | 140.69 | 2,169.93 | 425,080 |
Shimousa no kuni | 下総国 | 542,661 | 567,603 | 565,614 | 483,526 | 468,413 | 484,641 | 478,721 | 419,106 | 497,758 | 402,093 | 499,507 | 525,041 | 648,394 | 206.50 | 3,184.95 | 681,062 |
Hitachi no kuni | 常陸国 | 712,387 | 655,507 | 641,580 | 514,519 | 495,083 | 492,619 | 485,445 | 495,575 | 495,859 | 457,321 | 499,761 | 521,777 | 652,955 | 334.88 | 5,165.01 | 1,005,707 |
Tōsandō | 東山道 | 5,879,324 | 5,680,010 | 5,659,556 | 5,267,646 | 5,204,842 | 5,294,035 | 5,303,859 | 5,435,750 | 5,511,868 | 5,446,583 | 5,089,068 | 5,328,995 | 6,785,623 | 6,847.50 | 105,612.22 | 7,954,047 |
Ōmi no kuni | 近江国 | 602,367 | 575,216 | 573,797 | 583,940 | 573,617 | 538,412 | 532,968 | 557,491 | 547,724 | 511,948 | 527,412 | 541,732 | 578,099 | 257.15 | 3,966.15 | 853,095 |
Mino no kuni | 美濃国 | 545,919 | 533,095 | 543,510 | 556,165 | 536,904 | 563,863 | 566,355 | 598,580 | 609,459 | 607,269 | 570,807 | 583,137 | 668,148 | 402.87 | 6,213.65 | 699,764 |
Hida no kuni | 飛騨国 | 67,032 | 72,323 | 74,907 | 77,939 | 76,401 | 79,393 | 81,768 | 89,818 | 91,382 | 93,765 | 82,967 | 86,338 | 98,822 | 268.58 | 4,142.44 | 56,602 |
Shinano no kuni | 信濃国 | 693,947 | 686,651 | 706,974 | 723,295 | 714,199 | 742,791 | 748,142 | 778,025 | 797,099 | 808,073 | 775,313 | 794,698 | 924,867 | 853.76 | 13,167.94 | 767,788 |
Kōzuke no kuni | 上野国 | 569,550 | 576,075 | 579,987 | 522,869 | 513,915 | 514,172 | 497,034 | 456,950 | 464,226 | 451,830 | 426,073 | 428,092 | 509,941 | 407.25 | 6,281.21 | 637,331 |
Shimotsuke no kuni | 下野国 | 560,020 | 554,261 | 535,743 | 434,797 | 404,818 | 413,337 | 404,495 | 395,045 | 375,957 | 342,260 | 367,654 | 378,665 | 501,849 | 411.77 | 6,350.92 | 769,905 |
Mutsu no kuni | 陸奥国 | 1,962,839 | 1,836,134 | 1,806,192 | 1,563,719 | 1,568,218 | 1,589,108 | 1,602,948 | 1,650,629 | 1,680,102 | 1,690,509 | 1,506,193 | 1,603,881 | 2,305,961 | 2,956.76 | 45,603.50 | 2,874,239 |
Iwaki no kuni | 磐城国 | 349,594 | 429.83 | 6,629.47 | |||||||||||||
Iwashiro no kuni | 岩代国 | 430,163 | 497.52 | 7,673.49 | |||||||||||||
Rikuzen no kuni | 陸前国 | 539,614 | 525.92 | 8,111.51 | |||||||||||||
Rikuchū no kuni | 陸中国 | 513,273 | 830.98 | 12,816.60 | |||||||||||||
Mutsu no kuni | 陸奥国 | 473,317 | 672.51 | 10,372.44 | |||||||||||||
Dewa no kuni | 出羽国 | 877,650 | 846,255 | 838,446 | 804,922 | 816,770 | 852,959 | 870,149 | 909,212 | 945,919 | 940,929 | 832,649 | 912,452 | 1,197,936 | 1,289.36 | 19,886.41 | 1,295,323 |
Uzen no kuni | 羽前国 | 567,361 | 546.64 | 8,431.09 | |||||||||||||
Ugo no kuni | 羽後国 | 630,575 | 742.72 | 11,455.32 | |||||||||||||
Hokurikudō | 北陸道 | 2,155,663 | 2,160,541 | 2,212,937 | 2,108,387 | 2,190,010 | 2,269,448 | 2,307,745 | 2,511,390 | 2,598,219 | 2,640,844 | 2,401,206 | 2,534,477 | 3,309,335 | 1,633.01 | 25,186.68 | 3,622,484 |
Wakasa no kuni | 若狭国 | 86,598 | 78,072 | 77,729 | 79,323 | 76,124 | 78,356 | 78,715 | 83,056 | 84,678 | 84,366 | 83,956 | 77,183 | 85,813 | 54.75 | 844.44 | 91,018 |
Echizen no kuni | 越前国 | 367,652 | 348,052 | 344,830 | 332,019 | 335,813 | 350,833 | 354,038 | 375,572 | 386,071 | 397,823 | 328,217 | 353,674 | 454,229 | 217.67 | 3,357.23 | 689,304 |
Kaga no kuni | 加賀国 | 206,933 | 202,429 | 160,778 | 196,732 | 189,682 | 192,738 | 196,725 | 220,004 | 220,267 | 230,461 | 223,338 | 238,291 | 405,268 | 147.83 | 2,280.05 | 483,665 |
Noto no kuni | 能登国 | 152,113 | 157,765 | 212,048 | 137,427 | 159,436 | 165,188 | 167,534 | 193,569 | 198,111 | 197,704 | 179,431 | 186,970 | 264,379 | 122.72 | 1,892.77 | 275,369 |
Etchū no kuni | 越中国 | 314,158 | 313,562 | 313,710 | 317,265 | 327,327 | 337,229 | 345,419 | 383,265 | 413,888 | 402,411 | 383,583 | 403,121 | 623,977 | 266.41 | 4,108.97 | 808,008 |
Echigo no kuni | 越後国 | 932,461 | 970,185 | 1,013,331 | 954,524 | 1,011,067 | 1,053,674 | 1,072,904 | 1,154,052 | 1,191,935 | 1,224,947 | 1,099,980 | 1,172,973 | 1,372,116 | 767.29 | 11,834.28 | 1,142,555 |
Sado no kuni | 佐渡国 | 95,748 | 90,476 | 90,511 | 91,097 | 90,561 | 91,430 | 92,410 | 101,872 | 103,269 | 103,132 | 102,701 | 102,265 | 103,553 | 56.34 | 868.96 | 132,565 |
San'indō | 山陰道 | 1,263,340 | 1,306,568 | 1,340,877 | 1,368,649 | 1,362,540 | 1,427,610 | 1,441,698 | 1,519,467 | 1,544,033 | 1,569,651 | 1,430,878 | 1,487,122 | 1,634,188 | 1,109.83 | 17,117.43 | 1,499,292 |
Tamba no kuni | 丹波国 | 284,893 | 276,336 | 282,018 | 281,356 | 275,038 | 281,234 | 282,493 | 290,243 | 291,869 | 292,808 | 276,117 | 280,947 | 295,681 | 206.67 | 3,187.57 | 324,136 |
Tango no kuni | 丹後国 | 125,276 | 134,476 | 135,392 | 141,191 | 141,364 | 146,762 | 147,403 | 154,763 | 157,401 | 159,211 | 149,063 | 154,308 | 162,084 | 77.10 | 1,189.15 | 147,614 |
Tajima no kuni | 但馬国 | 149,732 | 156,613 | 154,980 | 158,455 | 160,030 | 164,764 | 167,549 | 179,408 | 181,052 | 184,323 | 162,243 | 173,573 | 187,980 | 165.92 | 2,559.06 | 144,313 |
Inaba no kuni | 因幡国 | 122,030 | 125,085 | 125,091 | 123,622 | 123,532 | 126,695 | 128,643 | 132,670 | 135,969 | 136,204 | 120,879 | 127,797 | 162,920 | 98.59 | 1,520.60 | 177,844 |
Hōki no kuni | 伯耆国 | 132,981 | 140,719 | 144,552 | 155,289 | 155,532 | 166,449 | 169,570 | 180,730 | 186,813 | 191,175 | 168,310 | 177,420 | 194,525 | 125.57 | 1,936.73 | 217,990 |
Izumo no kuni | 出雲国 | 222,330 | 234,896 | 220,094 | 258,916 | 260,189 | 271,667 | 279,177 | 299,708 | 308,346 | 315,270 | 302,837 | 309,906 | 340,222 | 181.61 | 2,801.06 | 302,627 |
Iwami no kuni | 石見国 | 207,965 | 219,512 | 259,202 | 229,113 | 225,783 | 248,076 | 245,203 | 257,508 | 257,349 | 264,948 | 225,657 | 236,963 | 262,035 | 232.32 | 3,583.18 | 172,209 |
Oki no kuni | 隠岐国 | 18,133 | 18,931 | 19,548 | 20,707 | 21,072 | 21,963 | 21,660 | 24,437 | 25,234 | 25,712 | 25,772 | 26,208 | 28,741 | 22.05 | 340.09 | 12,559 |
San'yōdō | 山陽道 | 2,657,695 | 2,588,975 | 2,701,294 | 2,747,716 | 2,733,792 | 2,823,445 | 2,822,910 | 2,960,990 | 3,038,751 | 3,065,355 | 2,915,809 | 3,028,359 | 3,550,654 | 1,571.35 | 24,235.67 | 3,211,542 |
Harima no kuni | 播磨国 | 633,725 | 551,393 | 627,943 | 607,758 | 602,410 | 608,890 | 599,401 | 609,246 | 613,534 | 600,731 | 581,713 | 594,560 | 639,576 | 238.58 | 3,679.73 | 651,964 |
Mimasaka no kuni | 美作国 | 194,226 | 175,168 | 172,431 | 157,747 | 132,445 | 157,066 | 153,397 | 159,007 | 159,850 | 164,018 | 156,196 | 165,468 | 215,676 | 170.56 | 2,630.63 | 262,099 |
Bizen no kuni | 備前国 | 338,523 | 322,982 | 325,550 | 321,627 | 316,881 | 321,221 | 318,273 | 318,203 | 318,771 | 318,647 | 304,229 | 310,576 | 333,714 | 94.25 | 1,453.66 | 416,581 |
Bitchū no kuni | 備中国 | 333,731 | 319,410 | 325,531 | 316,904 | 316,735 | 327,100 | 328,408 | 337,155 | 343,792 | 347,415 | 335,494 | 346,927 | 399,218 | 156.50 | 2,413.77 | 363,915 |
Bingo no kuni | 備後国 | 321,008 | 306,818 | 310,989 | 303,731 | 307,029 | 315,363 | 318,577 | 342,184 | 351,597 | 360,659 | 344,919 | 360,832 | 459,109 | 234.03 | 3,609.55 | 312,054 |
Aki no kuni | 安芸国 | 361,431 | 396,878 | 414,209 | 454,112 | 466,261 | 491,278 | 499,081 | 547,296 | 564,271 | 578,516 | 527,849 | 553,708 | 673,301 | 286.72 | 4,422.22 | 310,648 |
Suō no kuni | 周防国 | 262,927 | 289,392 | 291,334 | 344,800 | 351,110 | 357,507 | 358,761 | 397,836 | 429,329 | 436,198 | 413,630 | 435,188 | 498,732 | 189.20 | 2,918.12 | 489,428 |
Nagato no kuni | 長門国 | 212,124 | 226,934 | 233,307 | 241,037 | 240,921 | 245,020 | 247,012 | 250,063 | 257,607 | 259,171 | 251,779 | 261,100 | 331,328 | 201.51 | 3,107.98 | 404,853 |
Nankaidō | 南海道 | 2,156,379 | 2,177,570 | 2,227,504 | 2,268,283 | 2,240,675 | 2,280,438 | 2,350,336 | 2,490,692 | 2,537,174 | 2,577,251 | 2,491,662 | 2,565,745 | 3,244,966 | 1,599.32 | 24,667.07 | 1,889,259 |
Kii no kuni | 紀伊国 | 519,022 | 508,174 | 512,898 | 500,621 | 478,499 | 473,609 | 477,361 | 508,112 | 516,478 | 520,902 | 489,036 | 499,826 | 620,241 | 381.17 | 5,878.96 | 440,858 |
Awaji no kuni | 淡路国 | 105,226 | 107,113 | 107,120 | 106,161 | 104,352 | 104,269 | 112,449 | 119,327 | 123,748 | 123,500 | 119,147 | 122,773 | 165,485 | 36.73 | 566.50 | 97,164 |
Awa no kuni | 阿波国 | 342,386 | 336,905 | 363,254 | 369,280 | 368,536 | 375,358 | 425,304 | 446,291 | 454,120 | 459,244 | 431,050 | 448,287 | 590,048 | 271.13 | 4,181.77 | 268,894 |
Sanuki no kuni | 讃岐国 | 334,153 | 357,326 | 362,874 | 384,851 | 386,062 | 396,122 | 395,980 | 409,815 | 422,508 | 432,648 | 419,969 | 433,880 | 564,351 | 113.74 | 1,754.27 | 291,320 |
Iyo no kuni | 伊予国 | 504,045 | 499,860 | 508,592 | 514,773 | 516,186 | 531,378 | 529,829 | 563,669 | 574,847 | 585,651 | 580,589 | 599,948 | 778,556 | 341.56 | 5,268.04 | 460,997 |
Tosa no kuni | 土佐国 | 351,547 | 368,192 | 372,766 | 392,597 | 387,040 | 399,702 | 409,413 | 443,478 | 445,473 | 455,306 | 451,871 | 461,031 | 526,285 | 454.99 | 7,017.53 | 330,026 |
Saikaidō | 西海道 | 3,074,829 | 3,165,370 | 3,213,637 | 3,226,255 | 3,240,720 | 3,237,146 | 3,299,697 | 3,366,302 | 3,422,274 | 3,449,732 | 3,397,987 | 3,468,045 | 5,163,730 | 2,831 | 43,661 | 3,990,895 |
Chikuzen no kuni | 筑前国 | 302,160 | 307,439 | 306,173 | 307,778 | 304,199 | 307,982 | 313,420 | 321,857 | 329,886 | 335,803 | 339,434 | 346,942 | 445,278 | 158.63 | 2,446.63 | 651,782 |
Chikugo no kuni | 筑後国 | 266,426 | 260,875 | 263,176 | 270,448 | 273,293 | 272,239 | 277,579 | 284,169 | 292,913 | 307,206 | 295,678 | 299,041 | 393,656 | 80.87 | 1,247.30 | 375,588 |
Buzen no kuni | 豊前国 | 248,187 | 242,653 | 254,195 | 237,537 | 236,331 | 234,342 | 235,950 | 239,269 | 243,949 | 247,176 | 240,798 | 249,274 | 307,535 | 136.63 | 2,107.31 | 368,913 |
Bungo no kuni | 豊後国 | 524,394 | 511,880 | 521,706 | 469,687 | 468,200 | 464,722 | 466,106 | 474,016 | 474,540 | 475,985 | 457,229 | 470,875 | 565,460 | 344.11 | 5,307.37 | 417,514 |
Hizen no kuni | 肥前国 | 609,926 | 632,923 | 647,831 | 662,342 | 678,029 | 674,272 | 712,654 | 683,536 | 701,527 | 699,154 | 692,334 | 713,593 | 1,082,488 | 319.80 | 4,932.43 | 706,470 |
Higo no kuni | 肥後国 | 614,007 | 620,244 | 621,294 | 646,892 | 656,035 | 663,414 | 671,316 | 720,216 | 738,078 | 743,544 | 741,677 | 755,781 | 950,389 | 489.29 | 7,546.55 | 611,920 |
Hyūga no kuni | 日向国 | 211,614 | 225,421 | 225,713 | 230,133 | 228,691 | 229,624 | 230,783 | 241,310 | 243,412 | 245,476 | 249,955 | 247,621 | 382,564 | 511.40 | 7,887.56 | 340,128 |
Ōsumi no kuni | 大隅国 | 112,616 | 131,623 | 132,787 | 126,022 | 121,031 | 116,167 | 114,166 | 107,603 | 104,218 | 103,096 | 97,228 | 99,212 | 220,578 | 247.36 | 3,815.15 | 170,833 |
Satsuma no kuni | 薩摩国 | 149,039 | 194,312 | 205,385 | 237,889 | 236,127 | 235,630 | 238,493 | 250,831 | 251,649 | 248,364 | 239,891 | 241,797 | 586,324 | 332.68 | 5,131.08 | 315,005 |
Iki-shima | 壱岐嶋 | 19,993 | 23,200 | 23,404 | 23,391 | 24,771 | 24,968 | 25,368 | 26,532 | 27,624 | 27,215 | 27,210 | 27,005 | 32,929 | 8.81 | 135.88 | 32,742 |
Tsushima-jima | 対馬嶋 | 16,467 | 14,800 | 11,973 | 14,136 | 14,013 | 13,786 | 13,862 | 16,963 | 14,478 | 16,713 | 16,553 | 16,904 | 29,740 | 44.33 | 683.72 | 0 |
Ryūkyū-han | 琉球藩 | 166,789 | 156.91 | 2,420.10 | |||||||||||||
Hokkaidō[17] | 北海道 | 15,615 | 21,807 | 22,631 | 26,310 | 27,409 | 28,711 | 45,417 | 61,948 | 65,023 | 67,862 | 64,346 | 70,887 | 123,668 | 6,093.93 | 93,989.55 | 0 |
Ezo chi–Matsumae han | 蝦夷地松前藩 | 15,615 | 21,807 | 22,631 | 26,310 | 27,409 | 28,711 | 45,417 | 61,948 | 65,023 | 67,862 | 64,346 | 70,887 | 123,668 | 6,093.93 | 93,989.55 | 0 |
Ishikari no kuni | 石狩国 | 6,003 | |||||||||||||||
Shiribeshi no kuni | 後志国 | 19,098 | |||||||||||||||
Iburi no kuni | 胆振国 | 6,251 | |||||||||||||||
Oshima no kuni | 渡島国 | 75,830 | |||||||||||||||
Hidaka no kuni | 日高国 | 6,574 | |||||||||||||||
Tokachi no kuni | 十勝国 | 1,464 | |||||||||||||||
Kushiro no kuni | 釧路国 | 1,734 | |||||||||||||||
Nemuro no kuni | 根室国 | 832 | |||||||||||||||
Chishima no kuni | 千島国 | 437 | |||||||||||||||
Kitami no kuni | 北見国 | 1,511 | |||||||||||||||
Teshio no kuni | 天塩国 | 1,576 | |||||||||||||||
Karafuto Kaitaku-shi | 樺太開拓使 | 2,358 | |||||||||||||||
Total | 26,065,421 | 25,842,337 | 26,070,712 | 25,086,472 | 24,891,441 | 25,471,033 | 25,621,959 | 26,594,597 | 27,194,198 | 27,063,910 | 25,918,412 | 26,907,625 | 33,300,675 | 24,791.98 | 382,378.39 | 30,435,170 | |
General total | 26,065,425 | 25,917,830 | 26,070,712 | 25,086,466 | 24,891,441 | 25,471,033 | 25,621,957 | 26,602,110 | 27,201,400 | 27,063,907 | 25,918,412 | 26,907,625 | 33,300,675 | 24,796.63 | 382,450.11 | 3,353,080 |
After the beginning of Tokugawa census, the population growth fell almost to zero until the end of Sakoku. On the other hand, regional demographic data suggest that the population growth differs depending on areas; the population of Tōhoku region (Mutsu and Dewa), especially in Mutsu decreased drastically probably because of great famines. The population of Kansai region (Kinai and its surrounding areas), which was the most densely populated area of that time, also slightly decreased, while population in most of western Japan including Chūgoku region (San'indō and San'yodō), Shikoku (Nankaidō except for Kii) and Kyūshū (Saikaidō) steadily increased.
Populations of Ryūkyū and Amami Islands were surveyed by Satsuma Domain, which formally has possession of Satsuma, Ōsumi and part of Hyūga (Morokata-gun (諸県郡 )) in southern Kyūshū, and recorded in Satsuma domestic texts, though they were not reported to Tokugawa shogunate thus were excluded from the total population of Japan. Populations of Ryūkyū and Amami Islands have been included to the total populations of Japan after the Meiji Restoration.
Year | Ryūkyū | Amami | mainland | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Satsuma | Ōsumi | Morokata, Hyūga |
total | |||
1632 | 108,958 | |||||
1636 | 111,669 | 63,723 | ||||
1659 | 112,764 | |||||
1665 | 110,241 | |||||
ca. 1670 | 110,211 | 31,377 | 178,101 | 115,459 | 60,767 | 354,327 |
1672 | 116,483 | |||||
1677 | 122,213 | 379,142 | ||||
1684 | 129,995 | 183,376 | 117,583 | 54,428 | 355,387 | |
1690 | 128,567 | |||||
1699 | 141,187 | |||||
1706 | 155,108 | 49,472 | 461,961 | |||
1707 | 155,261 | |||||
1713 | 157,760 | |||||
1721 | 167,672 | |||||
1729 | 173,969 | |||||
1761 | 188,530 | |||||
1772 | 174,211 | 74,910 | 638,101 | |||
1795 | 623,627 | |||||
1800 | 155,650 | 74,593 | 373,046 | 177,312 | 76,971 | 627,329 |
1826 | 140,565 | 77,667 | 404,774 | 169,830 | 76,598 | 651,202 |
1852 | 132,678 | 85,125 | 393,527 | 157,111 | 74,727 | 625,365 |
1871 | 457,213 | 191,334 | 79,087 | 727,634 |
Populations recorded in Satsuma domestic texts include all the classes from several samurai classes, to the discriminated people.
On the other hand, populations of Ainu in eastern Ezo (including Chishima (Kuril Islands)) and western Ezo (including Karafuto (Sakhalin)) have been recorded since 1798 and 1810, respectively, thus they were included into the total population of Japan.
Year | Total | Wajin | Ainu | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matsumae-han | Eastern Ezo-chi (incl. Chishima) |
Western Ezo-chi (excl. Karfuto) |
Northern Ezo-chi (Karafuto) |
total | |||
1804 | 56,461 | 32,664 | 526 | 12,227 | 8,944 | 2,100 | 23,797 |
ca. 1810 | 58,540 | 31,740 | 450 | 26,800 | |||
1822 | 61,948 | 37,138 | 472 | 12,119 | 9,648 | 2,571 | 24,810 |
1839 | 65,263 | 41,886 | 422 | 12,900 | 7,449 | 2,606 | 23,377 |
1848 | 395 | 10,912 | 9,320 | ||||
1854 | 82,639 | 63,834 | 377 | 10,506 | 5,253 | 2,669 | 18,805 |
1873 | 123,688 | 105,058 | 259 | 12,532 | 3,481 | 2,358 | 18,630 |
Meiji government tried to unify the registered system of Shūmon Ninbetsu Aratame Chō in consonant with that of each other among domains and prefectures into a single registered system of koseki. However population were still surveyed by domains until the Abolition of the han system in 1871. The total population of Japan on July 28, 1870 (32,773,698) was collected by different systems of domains, but included all the registered people of all classes.[12]
The uniformed system of Jinshin koseki (壬申戸籍 ) was finally established in 1872, where the discriminated classes of eta and hinin were assimilated into the citizens class (heimin (平民 normal people )), though they kept unofficially called shin-heimin (新平民 new normal people )) and discriminated. The honseki population in 1872 (33,110,825) includes 29 imperial members (kōzoku (皇族 imperial family )), 2,666 noblemen (kazoku (華族 noble family )), 1,282,167 former samurai class members (shizoku (士族 samurai family )), 658,074 and 3,316 lower former samurai class members (sotsuzoku (卒族 soldier family ) and chishi (地士 squire ), respectively), 211,846 and 9,621 Buddhist monks and nuns (sōryo (僧侶 monk ) and ama (尼 nun ), respectively), 102,477 fomer Shintō priests (kyū-shinkan (旧神官 former Shintō priest )), 30,837,271 citizens (heimin, which includes ca. 550,000 shin-heimin and 2,358 unclassified people in Sakhalin.)
After the Battle of Sekigahara, Yamaguchi declined, while Edo (Tōkyō) and Sumpu (Shizuoka) became important under Tokugawa shougunate. According to Rodrigo de Vivero y Velasco, populations of Kyōtō, Ōsaka, Edo, Sumpu and Sakai were 300,000–400,000 (or 800,000), 200,000, 150,000, 120,000 and 80,000, respectively, while the two towns between Sumpu and Kyōtō had 30,000 and 40,000 inhabitants (probably Hamamatsu and Nagoya (or Kiyosu), respectively) in 1609. After the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Sumpu became less important, while Edo, Ōsaka and Kyōtō became three most important cities called santo (三都 three capitals ) with more than tens of thousand inhabitants.
Below is a list of the estimated population of major Japanese urbans during Edo period. Although Hiroshima, Wakayama, Tokushima, Hagi, Takamatsu and Sumpu (Shizuoka) were important castle towns of major domains, estimated populations are not given because of the lack of sufficient demographic records. Population of Shuri, the capital of the Kingdom of Ryūkyū, is also not estimated, while Yokohama was only a small village of less than 100 houses until the opening of the port in 1859.
Urban | 1650 | 1750 | 1850 | 1873 | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edo (Tōkyō) | 430,000 | 1,220,000 | 1,150,000 | 595,905 | de facto capital |
Ōsaka | 220,000 | 410,000 | 330,000 | 271,992 | market town |
Kyōtō | 430,000 | 370,000 | 290,000 | 238,663 | de jure capital |
Nagoya | 87,000 | 106,000 | 116,000 | 125,193 | castle town |
Kanazawa | 114,000 | 128,000 | 118,000 | 109,685 | castle town |
Kagoshima | 50,000 | 58,000 | 42,000 | 89,374 | castle town |
Hiroshima | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 74,305 | castle town |
Yokohama | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 64,602 | fishery village before 1859 |
Wakayama | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 61,124 | castle town |
Sendai | 57,000 | 60,000 | 48,000 | 51,998 | castle town |
Tokushima | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 48,861 | castle town |
Hagi | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 45,318 | castle town |
Shuri | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 44,984 | capital of Ryūkyū |
Toyama | 8,000 | 17,000 | 33,000 | 44,682 | castle town |
Kumamoto | 17,000 | 29,000 | 41,000 | 44,620 | castle town |
Hakata and Fukuoka | 53,000 | 43,000 | 32,000 | 41,635 | port and castle towns |
Hyōgo and Kōbe | 20,000 | 25,000 | 22,000 | 40,900 | port town and fishery village |
Fukui | 48,000 | 43,000 | 39,000 | 39,784 | castle town |
Kōchi | 20,000 | 24,000 | 28,000 | 39,757 | castle town |
Sakai | 69,000 | 47,000 | 41,000 | 38,838 | port town |
Kubota (Akita) | 18,000 | 22,000 | 27,000 | 38,118 | castle town |
Matsue | 18,000 | 28,000 | 36,000 | 37,808 | castle town |
Niigata | 4,000 | 14,000 | 27,000 | 33,152 | port town |
Hirosaki | 11,000 | 31,000 | 37,000 | 32,886 | castle town |
Takamatsu | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 32,736 | castle town |
Okayama | 29,000 | 26,000 | 20,000 | 32,372 | castle town |
Sumpu (Shizuoka) | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 31,555 | castle town |
Nagasaki | 37,000 | 45,000 | 31,000 | 29,656 | overseas port town |
Hakodate | 0 | 3,000 | 10,000 | 28,825 | port town |
Takada (Jōetsu) | 21,000 | 16,000 | 18,000 | 27,460 | castle town |
Matsuyama | 23,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 26,141 | castle town |
Tsuruoka | 15,000 | 18,000 | 16,000 | 24,964 | castle town |
Yonezawa | 35,000 | 32,000 | 29,000 | 24,945 | castle town |
Himeji | 21,000 | 22,000 | 24,000 | 24,521 | castle town |
Hikone | 38,000 | 33,000 | 29,000 | 24,368 | castle town |
Nagaoka | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 24,067 | castle town |
Takaoka | 12,000 | 11,000 | 14,000 | 23,724 | market town |
Yamada (Ise) | 30,000 | 23,000 | 16,000 | 22,473 | Shintō holy town |
Fushimi | 16,000 | 33,000 | 46,000 | 22,334 | riverside port town |
Annōtsu (Tsu) | 12,000 | 18,000 | 16,000 | 22,080 | castle town |
Saga | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 21,660 | castle town |
Morioka | 17,000 | 27,000 | 30,000 | 21,306 | castle town |
Nara | 35,000 | 35,000 | 27,000 | 21,158 | Buddhism holy town |
Tottori | 32,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 20,782 | castle town |
Wakamatsu (Aizu-Wakamatsu) | 27,000 | 26,000 | 25,000 | 20,588 | castle town |
Kurume | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | 20,381 | castle town |
Kuwana | 22,000 | 19,000 | 16,000 | 18,064 | castle town |
Ōtsu | 22,000 | 19,000 | 17,000 | 17,924 | lakefront port town |
Yamagata | 25,000 | 23,000 | 21,000 | 17,631 | castle town |
Kōfu | 26,000 | 24,000 | 22,000 | 15,529 | castle town |
Tsuruga | 21,000 | 15,000 | 13,000 | 11,476 | castle town |
Ōgaki | 22,000 | 20,000 | 18,000 | 10,158 | castle town |
Estimated populations of castle towns contain considerable errors compare to those of the business towns (Ōsaka, Sakai, Hyōgo, Niigata, Nagasaki, Hakodate and Fushimi) with less samurai-class inhabitants, because demographics of samurai classes and their servants (or dwellers of samurai districts) were recorded separately or kept secret, which easily lead to the loss of original data after the abolishment of the Han system. On the other hand, demorgaphics of chōnin classes (civilian), or dwellers of chōnin districts plus chōnin classes dwelled in temples-shrines districts (i.e. excluding demographics of Buddhist monks, nuns and Shintō priests which were usually summed separately), rather remain recorded for most of the cases.
Even the peak estimated population of Edo varies from 788,000 to 1,500,000. For example, Yoshida (1910) estimated the peak population of Edo (shortly before Perry's expeditions) at 1,400,000 based on the average amount of rice carried into Edo (1,400,000 koku per year). Chandler (1987) estimated the peak population of Edo at 788,000 by adding samurai population as 3/8 of the recorded chōnin population. Sekiyama (1958) estimated the peak population of Edo at 1,100,000 by adding samurai and servants population as 500,000 (215,000 Hatamoto, Gokenin, their servants and families, 100,000 Shogun's Ashigaru, other lower servants and their families, 180,000 Daimyo, their servants and their families). Diaries recorded that the population of Edo was 1,287,800 in 1837, the population of monks and priests was ca. 40,000 or the samurai population of Edo was 700,973. According to the map of Edo illustrated in 1725, area for samurai occupied 66.4% of the total area of Edo (estimated population density: 13,988 /km2 for 650,000 individuals), while areas for chōnin and temples-shrines occupied 12.5% (estimated chōnin population density: 68,807 /km2 for 600,000 individuals) and 15.4% (estimated population density: 4,655 /km2 for 50,000 individuals), respectively.
Urban | Year | Total areas | Imperial and
nobiliary districts |
Samurai districts
(including castles) |
Chōnin districts | Temples and
shrines districts |
Other districts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edo | ca. 1647 | 43.95 km2 | 34.06 km2 (77.4%) |
4.29 km2 (9.8%) |
4.50 km2 (10.3%) |
1.10 km2 (2.5%) |
|
1670–1673 | 63.42 km2 | 43.66 km2 (68.9%) |
6.75 km2 (10.6%) |
7.90 km2 (12.4%) |
5.11 km2 (8.1%) |
||
1725 | 69.93 km2 | 46.47 km2 (66.4%) |
8.72 km2 (12.5%) |
10.74 km2 (15.4%) |
4.00 km2 (5.7%) |
||
1865 | 79.8 km2 | 50.7 km2 (63.5%) |
14.2 km2 (17.8%) |
10.1 km2 (12.7%) |
4.8 km2 (6.0%) |
||
1869 | 56.36 km2 | 38.65 km2 (68.6%) |
8.92 km2 (15.8%) |
8.80 km2 (15.6%) |
|||
Kyōtō (Rakuchū, or within walls) |
ca. 1647 | 20.87 km2 | 0.68 km2 (3.3%) |
1.05 km2 (5.0%) |
8.37 km2 (40.1%) |
2.92 km2 (14.0%) |
7.85 km2 (37.6%) |
Ōsaka | ca. 1655 | 15.05 km2 | 3.36 km2 (22.3%) |
8.68 km2 (57.7%) |
1.18 km2 (7.8%) |
1.83 km2 (12.2%) |
|
Sendai | ca. 1647 | 10.37 km2 | 7.56 km2 (72.9%) |
1.15 km2 (11.1%) |
1.66 km2 (16.0%) |
||
Nagoya | ca. 1660 | 9.20 km2 | 5.69 km2 (61.8%) |
2.18 km2 (23.7%) |
1.14 km2 (12.4%) |
0.19 km2 (2.1%) |
|
Kanazawa | ca. 1647 | 7.46 km2 | 4.91 km2 (65.8%) |
1.58 km2 (21.2%) |
0.79 km2 (10.6%) |
0.18 km2 (2.4%) |
Selected recorded populations of urbans listed above are as follows. Sources for koseki censuses are given in Japanese Wikipedia page.