Dochu-bugyo (a governmental post in the Edo bakufu) (道中奉行)
Dochu-bugyo was a governmental post in the Edo bakufu.
The officers in this post were in charge of all road-related affairs, including the control of Shukuba-eki (inn-concentrated towns) along the five main roads and their branched roads, the supervision of Sukego (road-related laborers gathered from villages around such a town), and the states of roads and of bridges.
The description in "Richobetsuroku" that four persons, including Morinobu MIZUNO, were appointed to the post in December of 1632 (in the old calendar) was the first historical record of the post. However, Ometsuke (a governmental officer watching movements of the Imperial court, etc.) Morihisa TAKAGI was appointed to this post additionally in September 5, 1659, and it is generally said that this was the first appointment to this post. This post started with an officer who was also Ometsuke, but in 1698, was also assumed by Kanjo-bugyo (a governmental officer in charge of financial affairs) Shigeyoshi MATSUDAIRA additionally. After that, two officers, an Ometsuke officer and a Kanjo-bugyo officer assumed the post additionally. In 1845 and later, only an Ometsuke officer came to assume the post additionally.
A 3,000 koku of rice crop (approx. 180 liters/koku) was provided for the post yearly from 1723, and 250 ryo (a monetary unit at that time) in gold yearly in 1805 and later.