Jōkōbo

Jōkōbo was a shogunal storehouse keeper and one of the major moneylenders who hailed from the third rank of Enryakiji priests. As a shogunal tax agent from 1486, he was in charge for collection of taxes from moneylenders and other commercial groups in Kyoto. Taxes were collected monthly and their officicial commission was 10 percent of the total tax collected. As an additional privilege for their services, the shogunat tax collectors enjoyed exemption from the taxes they themselves collected and enjoyed a great social prestige in community. Working as a storehouse keepers Jōkōbo administered the shogun’s property and handled receipts and disbursements. This included custody, storage and disbursement of taxes from the Kyoto moneylenders, special levies on houses in Kyoto to finance palace reconstruction, and storage of litigation documents and various items submitted to the shogun.