Abstract
This paper reexamines “Kakae” s of the village Kaminaguri in the last seven decades of the Tokugawa Shogunate. In general, “Kakae” s have been considered as independent peasants who are obliged to provide labor service to landowner under the feudal system accompanied by low agricultural productivity.
According to Shuhmon-Aratamecho （a kind of population register） of the village 1804-1870, “Kakae” can be categorized into 3 groups; individual “Kakae” s in “Kakae” -households, individual “Kakae” s in non- “Kakae” -households, individual non- “Kakae” s in “Kakae” -households. The first group shows highest mobility. They are treated like servants. Most of them are Sake-brewers that is temporal from labors the region of today's Niigata. The second group shows lower mobility. They need not or can not stay long time in non- “Kakae” households and they are supposed to be relatives of house heads. Most of them are single, marry very seldom and works in other households sometimes. The third type, shows lowest mobility and marries often.
Considering individual “Kakae” s, they are not always on “Kakae” -status through life. “Kakae” s, e.g. an illegitimate child, a man living in the household which had adopted his son as heir etc., change their status according to circumstances. So “Kakae” s are not stable status or system, but marginality between “insider” and “outsider” of the community.
