Wajinchi (Japanese land, southern Hokkaido) (和人地)
Wajinchi is an area division in Hokkaido in the early-modern times. Compared with the area which was called Ezo where ainu lived, Wajinchi referred to the area which was the whole area of southern end of Oshima Peninsula, where Wajin (Japanese) were living.
In the southern end of Oshima Peninsula in the Satsumon era, corresponding to the preceding stage of the Ainu culture establishment, the Aonae culture had been established, which was the Creole style culture, produced between Satsumon culture and Honshu (main island of Japan) Haji ware culture. Using this culture as a foothold, the movement and settlement of Wajin began.
During the Kamakura and Muromashi periods, southern end of Oshima Peninsula was put under the influence of the Ando clan in Honshu (Refer to Donan Juni Kan [12 castles of the Oshima Peninsula] and Watarito [migratory group].)
The lord in the area, the Matsumae clan, the former Kakizaki clan was originally under the Ando clan, but directly served for Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI., and became independent from the Ando clan. Afterwards, the Matsumae clan was approved by Ieyasu TOKUGAWA of the monopolistic trade right with the Ainu and ranked as daimyo (Japanese territorial lord). Due to this reason, the Matsumae clan placed Wajinchi under its direct control area, and besides, came to manage the trade with the Ezo area.
Revenue of the Matsumae clan including the lord and retainers in its early days, was from the trade with Ainu, therefore, the Matsumae clan prohibited the trade between other Japanese and Ainu. As one part of that policy, the Matsumae clan drew a boundary line in the Wajinchi, established guardhouses at both east and west ends, and supervised coming and going of people between Wajinchi and Ezo area. Although Japanese were prohibited to go to Ezo area, but Ainu were not prohibited to go to Wajinchi, and in the first half of Edo era, it was not rare that Ainus went to Wajinchi by preparing trade ships.
In later years, when the herring fishing fell to chronically poor catches in the Wajinch, Japanese started to go to the Ezo area for fishing. However, living in the Ezo area for a long time was still prohibited for Japanese, and they seemed to stay there only as seasonal migrant laborers. But from the end of 18th century, the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) began to control directly the Ezo area, Wajinchi expanded gradually, and in the eastern area, the scope of Wajinchi reached Nodaoi (present Yakumo town) in 1800, and Oshamanbe (present Oshamanbe town, later Yamakoshi County, Iburi Province) in eastern area of Ezo in 1864, and within Otaru area corresponding to later Otaru County, Goshi Province (present Otaru City) in western area in 1865.
In addition, in the area corresponding to the Wajinchi at the end of its history, the following provinces and counties were established among 11 provinces and 86 counties which are later of Hokkaido (According to the system of Ritsuryo codes.)
Oshiima Province
Shiribeshi Province
Yamakoshi County, Iburi Province (eastern Ezo area excluding Yamakoshi County)