San’ei-chō and meat-eating in Buddhist Edo

Jap an ese Jou r n al o f Religion s Studies 1992 19/2- 3 San'ei-cho and Meat-eating in Buddhist Edo U C H IYA M A ju n z O 内 山 純 藏 T h e r e ha ve be e n a n u m b e r o f r e c e nt r e por ts a b o u t the e x c a va tion o f la r ge a m o u n t s o f a n im a l bone s fr o m sites w it h in a n d ju s t outs ide the city o f Edo. T he s e finds pr ove t h a t a n im a l me a t was e a te n in the Ed o pe r iod, a lt h o u g h the r e is n o m e n t io n o f this in his tor ic a l r e cor ds . La n d m a m m a ls are mos t p r o m in e n t ly r e pr e s e nte d a m o n g the bone s dis cove r e d. Sinc e the e a t in g o f a n im a l m e a t was c o ns ide r e d u n c le a n d u r ­ in g p r e m o d e r n time s in Ja p a n , the c o m m o n a s s u m p t io n has b e e n th a t m e a t c o n s u m p t io n was s e ve re ly r e s tr icte d, a n d a voide d if a t a ll pos s ible , u n t il afte r the Me iji Re s to r a tio n in 1868. How e ve r , the Edo- pe r iod a n i­ m a l r e m a in s —in c lu d in g thos e o f la r ge n u m b e r s o f w ild bo a r , shika de e r, a n d be a r , a lo n g w ith dogs , monke ys , a n d hors e s —s how t h a t de s pite the a s s ume d s ocial ta boo, m a m m a l m e a t was b e in g quite w ide ly e a te n d u r ­ in g this p e r io d ( K a n e k o 1992). On e site in w h ic h s uc h r e m a in s we re fo u n d is San'e i- cho 三 栄 町 ， e xcavate d in 1985 a n d 1986 by the S h in ju k u Bo a r d o f Ed u c a t io n . T h e r e p o r t c o n c e r n in g the fa u n a l r e m a in s o f the site was p u b lis h e d in 1991 ( K a n e k o 8 c N a g a s h i m a 1991). The Faunal Remains at the San ， ei- chd Site T h e r e m a in s at the S a n ’ei- chO site (Tokyo- to S h inju k u - k u San'e i- cho 22) date to the s e c ond h a lf o f the e ig h t e e n t h a n d the firs t h a lf o f the n in e ­ t e e n t h ce ntur ie s . T h e site was loc a te d a little to the we s t o f the city o f Edo, close to the Ko s h u h ig h w a y w h ic h le d we s t fr o m the city a n d in t o pre s e nt- day Ya m a n a s m P r e fe c tur e . T h is lo c a tio n is s ig nific a nt, in t h a t it w o u ld ha ve ma de San'e i- cho a n e x c e lle nt place fr o m w h ic h to r e d is tr ib ­ ute m e a t in t o the city its e lf fr o m a n im a ls b r o u g h t fr o m the m o u n t a in s wes t o f Edo. De tails o f the s tr uc tur a l r e m a in s o n the site have n o t ye t b e e n puba c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s : W e w o u ld lik e t o t h a n k Y o s h i d a T a d a s h i a n d M a t s u i A k ir a fo r t h e ir c o m m e n t s a n d a d v ic e o n a n e a r lie r d r a f t o f t h is p a p e r . 300 Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 19/2-3 lis h e d ， b u t d u e to the lo w ly ing w a te r log ge d c o nte x t o f the site the fa u n a l r e m a in s we re ve r y we ll pr e s e r ve d. T h e m a n y s lna ll m a m m a ls , bir ds , a n d fis h whos e r e m a in s we re fo u n d w o u ld have c ome fr o m a va r ie ty o f coas tal a n d in la n d ha bita ts . It is cle ar t h a t the s e food s ource s we re o b ­ t a in e d fr o m a va r ie ty o f loc a tions a n d s ubs e que ntly r o u t e d to the m a r k e t t h r o u g h a d is t r ib u t io n s ys te m, c r e a ting the wide c ir c u la tio n o f goods t h a t is o ne o f the c ha r acte r is tic fe atur e s o f m o d e r n s ocie ty. Co d (m adam ， Gadus macrocephalus), for e x a m ple , w h ic h is we ll r e pr e s e nte d a m o n g the r e m a in s , is t h o u g h t to have be e n c a u g h t o ff the Ja p a n Se a coas t a n d ， t r a n s p o r t e d t o m a r k e t p r e s e r v e d in s a lt (s e e K a n e k o 1 9 9 2 p . 2 3 6 ). Ce r ta in o f the a n im a l r e m a in s fo u n d a t S a n ’ei- ch6 (no ta b ly s he llfis h a n d bir ds ) ha ve als o be e n dis cove r e d at o th e r Edo- pe r iod sites, s uc h as the Ed o e s tate o f the Ka g a fie f w h ic h date s to the e ig h t e e n t h c e ntur y a n d is loc a te d o n w h a t is no w the H o n g o Ca m p u s o f the Unive r s ity o f T okyo (see K a n e k o 1992 ， p. 237). Ot h e r s ma ll w ild a nim a ls , s uc h as the fox (kitsune, Vulpes vulpes), r a c c o o n d o g (tanuki, Nyctereutes procyonoides), a n d otte r (kawauso， Lutra lutra), ar e n o t o fte n fo u n d e ls e whe re , b u t th e ir pr e s e nc e a t San'e i- cho de mons tr a te s t h a t s uc h a n im a ls we re , in fact, b e in g e a te n. C a n in e r e m a in s (in c lu d in g thr e e bur ia ls ) ha ve als o b e e n fo u n d , t h o u g h the e vide nc e s hows t h a t the s e p a r t ic u la r dogs we re n o t b u t c h e r e d for t h e ir me a t. Dog- e a ting doe s , ne ve r the le s s , a p p e a r to have be e n r a t h e r w ide s pr e a d d u r in g Edo time s ( H a m m o n d 1991) M a n y obje cts m a d e o f b o n e a n d a n t le r we re als o dis cove r e d a t the site, in d ic a t in g a n o t h e r as pe ct o f a n im a l us e in the Ed o p e r io d . T he s e obje cts in c lu d e c ombs , h a ir p in s (in c lu d in g the o r n a te kanzashi type ), kogai 弃 (s pa tula - s ha pe d im p le m e n t s us e d to a r r a ng e the h a ir w h e n the h e a d b e ­ c a me too itc hy), a n d g a m in g pie ce s . T he s e we re mos tly m a d e o u t o f de e r a ntle r , b u t o n occas ion b ir d bone s we re us e d as we ll. T he s e obje cts s how t h a t a n im a l b o n e was b e in g us e d fo r im p le m e n t s in e ve r yday life . An e ve n mo r e im p o r t a n t p o in t a b o u t the San'e i- cho site is the s izable a c c u m u la t io n o f bone s fr o m la r ge m a m m a ls . T h e blo c k ot bone s s how n in pla te 1， w h ic h me a s ur e s a b o u t 2 m by 1 m, date s to the la tte r h a lf o f the e ig h t e e n t h c e ntur y . Ca lc u la t in g the m in im u m n u m b e r o f in d iv id u ­ als r e pr e s e nte d (M IN D ), the r e we re : w ild b o a r (inoshishi， Sus scrofa) 97 shika de e r (shika, Ceyvus nippon) 71 s e row (kamoshika, Capricoinis crispus) 11 be a r (tsukinowaguma, Selenarctos thibetanus) 3 w o lf (okami, Cards hodophilax) 3 U c h iy a m a : Me a t- e a ting in Edo 301 ， P la t e 1 . T h e Ac c u m u la t io n o f A n im a l Bo n e s a t t h e S a n e i- chd s ite . T h e r e m a in s o f th e de e r , s e row, a n d b o a r we r e n o t c o m p le te —o nly the h in d le gs , for e limbs , a n d a few ve r te br a e we re fo u n d —in d ic a t in g t h a t th e re s t was e ith e r c a r r ie d o ff e ls e whe re , or t h a t o n ly c e r ta in p o r ­ tio ns we re b r o u g h t to this s ite. It is pos s ible t h a t th e a n im a ls we re c a u g h t in t he m o u n t a in s to the west, a n d a fte r pr oc e s s ing we re b r o u g h t a lo n g th e Ko s h u h ig h w a y to S a n ’e i- ch6. T he s e bone s ha ve few o f th e b utc h e r y ma r ks us ua lly s e e n o n bone s fr o m sites s ince the j6 m o n pe r io d , b u t s ince th e de e r s kulls s how s igns o f h a v in g h a d t he ir a ntle r s r e mo ve d, it is q uite like ly t h a t the m e a t was us e d as we ll. Me a t- e a ting c o n t in u e d t h r o u g h o u t th e Ed o p e r io d in s pite o f th e g e ne r a l ave r s ion to th e pr ac tic e , w ith me at- bas e d c uis ine b e in g s old t h r o u g h s hops k n o w n as momonji- ya も も ん じ 屋 . S u c h m e a t was e up h e m is t ic a lly ca lle d “ m e d ic in a l,” b o t h be c aus e it tas te d g o o d a n d be c aus e a c e r ta in sens e o f g u ilt was as s ociate d w ith e a t in g it (see S u z u k i 1985a). T h e a n im a l bone s fr o m the San*e i- ch6 s ite are dir e c t e vide nc e t h a t tms k in d o f me a t- e ating was g o in g on. Meat- eating in Edo T h e g e n e r a l a v e r s io n to me a t- e a ting in p r e m o d e r n J a p a n ha s b e e n a t­ t r ib u t e d to S h in t o a n d B u d d h is t tr a ditio ns . S h in t o be lie fs a b o u t the d e filin g n a t ur e (kegare) o f de a th a n d the de a d c o m b ine d w ith B u d d h is t injunc t io ns agains t the ta king o f s e ntie nt life to fo r m a social a ttitude tha t vie we d me a t- e a ting as ba r ba r ic a n d u n e t h ic a l. 丁 his a ttitud e , howe ve r , 302 Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 19/2-3 d id n o t b e c o m e w ide s pr e a d u n t il the Ed o P e r io d .1 In 675 the g o v e r n ­ m e n t d id in d e e d pas s r e lig io us ly m o t iv a t e d laws a g a ins t the c o n s u m p ­ t io n o f me a t, b u t this le g is la tio n d id n o t cove r w ild b o a r a n d de e r (only the t ime s w h e n the y c o u ld be h u n t e d was r e s tr icte d), a n d the r e fo r e d id n o t b a n me a t- e a ting tota lly (see Y o s h id a 1992, p p . 8- 33; S u z u k i 1985b). T h e r e have be e n s ugge s tions t h a t th e ta boo a g a ins t me a t- e a ting ma y have b e e n m a n ip u la t e d by the s h o g uns for m o r e w o r ld ly obje ctive s . Y o s h i d a T a da s hi (1 9 9 2 ， p p . 16- 17), for e x a mple , re late s the is s ue o f me a t- e a ting to the s uppr e s s ion o f Ch r is t ia n ity by the T o kug a w a g o v e r n ­ m e n t in 1613. T h e os te ns ible r e a s on for the s uppr e s s io n was C h r is tia n it y ’s o p p o s itio n to B u d d h is m , the official r e lig io n o f the s ho ­ g uns , b u t a m o n g the o t h e r u n d e r ly in g factors was, a p p a r e n t ly , the Ch r is t ia n s ， r e p u t a t io n as me at- e ate rs . In r u r a l J a p a n a t t h a t t im e hors e s a n d o x e n we re the m a in fo r m o f a g r ic u lt u r a l tr a c tio n, a n d we re t h us vita l to the s h o g u n a t e ’s p la n s fo r e x p a n d e d o f r ice c u lt iv a t io n . T h e g o v e r n m e n t t h u s h a d a cle ar e c o no m ic mo tive for d o in g w h a t it c o uld to dis c o ur a ge the e a t in g o f me a t. Summary Me a t- e a ting is o fte n a s s ume d to have b e e n a pr ac tic e a lie n to p r e m o d e r n Ja p a n , o ne t h a t firs t a p p e a r e d a lo n g w ith o th e r c u lt ur a l im p o r t s fr o m th e We s t at the t im e o f th e Me iji Re s to r a tio n. T h e r e c e nt a r c ha e ologic a l e vide nc e fr o m S a n ， e i- ch6 a n d o th e r e x c avations w it h in a n d ju s t outs ide o f Ed o indic a te s t h a t the e a t in g o f a n im a l m e a t d u r in g th e Ed o p e r io d was far m o r e w ide s pr e a d t h a n g e ne r a lly be lie ve d. T h is inc lud e s lar ge , four - foote d m a m m a ls , th e c o n s u m p t io n o f w h ic h is g e ne r a lly t h o u g h t to have b e e n ta boo in p r e m o d e r n Ja p a n . T h e a ve r s ion to me a t- e a ting m a y ha ve a p p lie d n o t so m u c h to m e a t in g e ne r a l as to c e r ta in type s o f me a t. It is inte r e s ting, fo r e x a mple , th a t a m o n g th e r e m a in s a t th e va r io us sites t h us fa r e x cavate d no bo vine bo ne s ha ve be e n dis cove r e d. T h e re al c h a ng e in e a t in g habits t h a t oc­ c u r r e d ma y have b e e n n o t so m u c h th e in t r o d u c t io n o f me a t- e ating in g e ne r a l b u t be e f- e ating in pa r tic ula r . 1 O ffic ia l le g is la t io n a g a in s t t h e k illin g o f a n im a ls r e a c h e d its a p o g e e a ft e r 1 6 8 0 , w h e n t h e T o k u g a w a s h o g v in a t e in t r o d u c e d la w s w it h s t r in g e n t p u n is h m e n t s t h a t fo r b a d e e v e n t h e s q u a s h in g o f m o s q u it o e s . T h is t e n d e n c y , h o w e v e r ， r e fle c t e d t h e in c lin a t io n s o f t h e c u r r e n t s h o g u n T o k u g a w a T s v in a y o s h i ( r . 1 6 8 0 - 1 7 0 9 ), a n d s h o u ld n o t b e t a k e n a s in d ic a t iv e o f s o c ie t y a s a w h o le t h r o u g h o u t t h e E d o p e r io d . In fa c t t h e o r d in a n c e w a s g e n e r a lly d e s p is e d a n d c a u s e d m u c h a n t i- s h o g v in a t e fe e lin g . T s u n e y o s h i h im s e lf e n d e d u p w it h t h e s o b r iq u e t “ t h e c lo g s h o g u n ， ， (in u k u b o ). U c h iy a m a : Me a t- e a ting in Edo 303 RE F E RE N C E S Ha m m o n d , N o r m a n 1991 Se c r e t d o g eate rs o f a n c ie n t J a p a n e x pos e d. The Timesy 4 Ap r il. K a n e k o H ir o m a s a 金 1992 子 浩 昌 Edo no do b ut s us h it s u s h o k u r y o —Edo n o m a c h i ka r a s h u t s u d o s hita d c b u t s u ita i ka r a m it a 江 戸 の 動 物 質 食 料 一 江 戸 の 街 か ら 出 土 し た 動 物 遺 体 か ら み た [ Anima ls as food in E d o —As s e e n in th e r e m a in s o f a nim a ls e x cavate d fr o m Edo] . In Edo no shoku bunka 江 戸 の 食 文 化 [ Culin a r y c us toms o f Edo] , 220- 42. T okyo: Yos hika wa K y o b u n k a n . K a n e k o H ir o m a s a & N a g a s h im a M a s a h a r u 永 1991 嶋 正 春 San'ei- chd iseki —Kokkakukai seihin, dObutsu izontai hen 三 栄 町 遺 跡 —骨 角 貝 製 品 • 動 物 遺 存 体 編 [ T he S a n ’ei- chO s ite —P r oduc ts ma de fr o m bo ne s a n d s he lls ; a n im a l r e ma ins ] . T okyo: TCkyO S h in ju k u - k u Ky o ik u Iin k a i. S u z u k i S h in ’ic h i 鈴 1985 a 1985b 木 T a k a n o T o s h ih ik o 高 1992 晋 ー Mo m o nji- y a も も ん じ 屋 . In Dai hyakka jite n 大 百 科 事 典 14: 986. T okyo: He ib o n s h a . N ik u s h o k u , n ih o n no n ik u s h o k u s h i 肉 食 • □ 本 の 肉 食 史 [ Meate a ting : T h e his tor y o f me a t- e a ting in Ja pa n] . In Dai hyakka jite n 1 1 ;2 7 0 - 7 1 . T okyo: He ibo n s h a . 埜 利 彦 Nihon no rekishi 13: Genroku, KyOhd no jid ai 日 本 の 歴 史 13 元 禄 • 享 保 の 時 代 [ T he his tor y o f Ja p a n v o l . 13: F r o m the Ge n r o k u to th e Ky 6 ho pe riods ] . T okyo: Shue is h a . Y o s h 丨 d a T a da s hi 吉 田 忠 Gyuniku to nihonjin 牛 肉 と 日 本 人 [ Be e f a n d th e Ja pa ne s e ] . T okyo: 1992 NOs a n Gy os o n B u n k a KyOkai.