Male Menoto During the Kamakura Era

Abstract

It is widely believed among researchers of Japanese history that male menoto 乳父 were originally husbands of female menoto 乳母. There are several cases, however, in which the relatives of female menoto other than her husband, such as her father and her son, were called menoto. In fact, very few facts have been learned about male menoto. This study aims at clarifying what male menoto were and how they changed during Kamakura era. Originally male menoto were a stewards in charge of household management and many other details of yashinaigimi 養君 (a person who is careed for). Therefore they played the roles of educators, a guardians, and assistants in charge of economic matters. In many cases, male menoto assumed a post suitable for a steward. For instance, male menoto of the Togu 東宮 was appointed as Togu-suke 東宮亮 or Togu-Daishin 東宮大進, either of which was supposed to be directly involved in various matters there. During the Kamakura era, male menoto drastically changed. It is most obvious in the case of the male menoto of Togu. From the era of Kanendri 懐成 (Chukyo 仲恭 Tenno) on, male menoto came to be appointed as Togu-Daibu 東宮大夫 or Togu-fu 東宮傅, which was in charge of the Togu. This means that the male menoto of Togu came to be regarded no longer as stewards but as guardians. This change was quite prevalent across the whole society at that time, which is because the change was closely been connected to the fact that the rights of family heads were intensified during that period.