"At first it wasn't accepted" - Learn about Edo period currency, "hansatsu" - special exhibition ...
0A special exhibition on paper money issued during the Edo period is currently being held at the Kochi Castle History Museum.
The exhibition displays actual banknotes, domain notes, and private notes that circulated in Japan during the Edo period. At the time, gold and silver coins were the standard currency, but for various reasons, currency shortages arose, leading to the creation of paper notes issued by domains.
(Shota Takagi, Curator, Kochi Castle History Museum)
"The amount of gold and silver coins minted was unstable, and money was only used in the castle town. However, from around 1800, payments in rural areas were made with rice, but gradually shifted to coins, leading to currency shortages in rural areas as well."
The museum is also displaying the oldest surviving Tosa domain note.
(Shota Takagi, Curator, Kochi Castle Museum of History)
"(Q. Is the design the Seven Lucky Gods?) Even if a simple piece of paper is said to 'turn into money tomorrow,' it's not something that people can trust so easily. Perhaps they sought the power of the Seven Lucky Gods or other gods to increase their credibility."
However, "paper money" was not well received, and just four years after the issuance of Tosa domain notes, the shogunate banned their issuance. Values subsequently changed, and private notes issued by merchants and others began to circulate, leading to the issuance of domain notes again. Domain notes continued to be used until Japan's currency was unified into the yen. Through this exhibition, you can learn about the evolution of currency from the Edo period to the Meiji period.
(Shota Takagi, Curator, Kochi Castle Museum of History)
"We have nearly 700 different types of currency on display. We hope that visitors will compare the designs and find their favorite domain note, private note, shogunate coin, or other currency they like."