Harima Province Hansatsu – Himeji Domain Silver One Bu Note (Tenpō 8, 1837)

This hansatsu from Harima Province, issued by the Himeji Domain in 1837 (Tenpō 8), represents one bu of silver and is associated with the Himeji Jitsumen (cotton) monetary system. The note was redeemable at designated exchange offices in Himeji Cotton Town and the Osaka Nakajima Kurayashiki Local Product Bureau, reflecting the interconnected trade and financial systems of the time.

The Himeji Domain, a prominent feudal domain during the Edo period, was known for its administrative innovations and economic reliance on local cotton production. These hansatsu notes were key instruments for facilitating trade within and beyond the region.

This note, categorized as a small-format hansatsu (小札), illustrates the economic practices and administrative sophistication of the late Edo period. It is a significant artifact from the Tenpō era, a period marked by economic reforms and challenges within the Tokugawa shogunate. Its condition is noted as below average (並品下).