Shomotsu-bugyo (a governmental post of the Edo bakufu) (書物奉行)
Shomotsu-bugyo was a governmental post of the Edo bakufu. This post was established in 1633. The number of officers in the post was ordinarily four (but varied between three and five). The officer was under control of wakadoshiyori (a governmental post of the bakufu) officers, earned 200 straw bags of rice crop for his post and the amount of rice crop for seven persons as his yaku-buchi (a type of salary), and used the takibino-ma room (literally, a bonfire room).
Summary
Their jobs were the management of Momijiyama Library in the Edo castle, and the collection, classification, arrangement, storage and investigation of books. Famous shomotsu-bugyo officers included Konyo AOKI, Kageyasu TAKAHASHI, Juzo KONDO, and Hironao SHIBUKAWA.
Officers called doshin were placed under shomotsu-bugyo, in the salaries based on their social statuses, and the number of these officers was four in 1694 and was increased later to 21in the later Edo period. A veteran doshin served the role of a steward. Nurishi (lacquer-painting craftsmen) and makieshi (craftsman sprinkling gold or silver power, or placing shell on each lacquered parts) were also included in the officers.
This post was abolished in 1866.
"Oshomotsu-kata nikki" (literally, a shomotsu officers' diary) of 225 volumes in total was a job record of shomotsu-bugyo from 1706 to 1857.
examples of actual officers
In 1856 (from "Shomukijimensirabesho" (detailed records of the residences of daimyo and bakufu's retainers)
Oshomotsu-bugyo (magistrate of books)
Kura no suke ISHII, Tazaemon NAKAI, Tatewaki SHIMADA and Yasuzaemaon TAKEJIMA
Oshomotsu-doshin(Constable of books)
Onotaro Tsuko, Kamataro MOCHIDA, Shunosuke SAKATA, Jinnosuke Oyanagai, Yunosuke ODA, Masagoro Kaiga, Seiemon YAMAMOTO, Kennosuke HIGUCHI, Sohei NAKAJIMA, Eijiro SUZUKI, Saichiro KIMOTO, Seibei FUMA,...hei ICHINO, Masutaro HOSHINO, and Ichirozaemon ICHINO
Goyotatsu chonin (The merchant for the office)
Manjiro IZUMOJI