Kunin-chojakunin (公人朝夕人)
Kunin-chojakunin is a post that existed in the Edo Period. It was a hereditary post.
Summary
The job function was to assist the Shogun during his travels to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and to Nikko Shrine, to resolve the difficulty the Shogun in sokutai (ceremonial court dress) experiences when wishing to relieve himself, by slipping a copper, cylindrical container (urinal) into the dress from the side of the hakama. The name of the post derives from the job function as "a person performing fetid civic duty both day and night."
During a journey, the Kunin-chojakunin was positioned at the right and left of the attendants in the second row of the parade, issuing warnings.
The post was subordinate to the dobo-kashira, with one appointed to the post with stipend for 10 persons
Tsuchida Family
Tsuchida Family served this hereditary post from the time of FUJIWARA no Yoritsune, the 4th Shogun of the Kamakura bakufu, and had been in service also of the Ashikaga Shogun family, Nobunaga ODA and Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI. In the Edo Period, the post was established with service to Ieyasu TOKUGAWA. From then on, the post has been filled by the Tsuchida family, and even the name "Magoemon TSUCHIDA" was succeeded for generations. For this reason, the post of Kunin-chojakunin became synonymous with the name Magoemon TSUCHIDA. The social status of the servant is believed to be servant to samurai warriors and not from the samurai class. Although this job function would easily be perceived in modern TV variety shows as a target of comic banter because of what the job involves, the hereditary nature of the post dating back to the Kamakura period and the proximity of the postholder to the ruler suggest that the family enjoyed prestige despite the surprise and contempt modern people might feel toward them.
The post has been held on hereditary basis by the Tsuchida family since 1603. According to Tsuchida family records, the hereditary post dates back to 1219, when they served as attendant to Shogun FUJIWARA no Yoritsune on his travel from Kyoto eastward.
Social status
There is little documentation regarding the Kunin-chojakunin (Magozaemon TSUCHIDA), although the attendant is believed not to be from samurai class but was servant to the samurai but at times is believed to have been a lower-ranking samurai or common folk. the Kunin-chojakunin was at least authorized to carry one small sword and to bear a family name.
Because the post was not an everyday function, it is unknown what the Kunin-chojakunin did to make a living.