Shindenbunchi (新田分知)
Shindenbunchi is a form of samurai branch family in the Edo period. When a branch family is established, the family is given a territory newly developed after entering into a new domain, not a territory given by the lord. That made it possible to establish a branch family without losing its omote-daka (face value of kokudaka assessed by the feudal government). This could be often seen when daimyo (Japanese feudal lord) and hatamoto (direct retainers of the bakufu) established branch families. When the branch family of a daimyo had more than ten thousands koku (approximately 1.8 million liters of crop yield) in the territory given as shindenbunchi, the branch family might be called XX Shinden-han (domain). Cases with daimyo will be mainly explained below, but the same is true in hatamoto except as otherwise noted.
The forms of shindenbunchi are as follows. A specifically appointed territory distributed (e.g. a branch family of the Matsudaira clan of Matsue Domain). An appointed territory distributed, but the income from the territory as rice stored provided by the head family (e.g. a branch family of the Satake clan of Kubota Domain). Only income provided by the head family without designating territory to be distributed (a branch family of the Asano clan of Hiroshima Domain).
In any case, the territory of a branch family was recognized as a new paddy on newly reclaimed land and was distinguished from originally registered rice paddies. Also, omote-daka of the head family did not change even when the samurai status of the branch family was changed due to succeeding the head family and its territory was returned to it. However, in the cases of fudai daimyo (daimyo in hereditary vassal to the Tokugawa family) and hatamoto (direct retainers of the bakufu) who were often transferred from one fief to another, the territory of a branch family was sometimes treated as a registered rice paddy with no specific procedure. For example, the Naito clan of Iwakitaira Domain whose crop yields were 70,000 koku received 10,000 koku and established Yunagaya Domain as shindenbunchi in the form of 1, but the territory of 70,000 koku given with the relocation of Nobeoka Domain did not include the territory for Yunagaya Domain. Since the territory of Yunagaya Domain was a new paddy of Iwakitaira Domain, the territory of the branch family should be included in that of the head family even if the head family was relocated. In reality, however, the territory of Yunagaya Domain was regarded as a registered rice paddy independent from Nobeoka Domain.
Even those who received shindenbunchi were treated equally as ordinary daimyo or hatamoto, but the administration of their territories was, in most cases, dependent on their head families and their unique administration was a rare case.
Shinden domains which survived by the end of the Edo period no longer existed after the Meiji Restoration because independent jinya (regional government office) was established or they were absorbed by their head families.
Cases of Shinden domain
Shirakawa Shinden domain of Shirakawa Domain, Mutsu Province - the Matsudaira clan (composed of two domains of the Echizen Matsudaira family and the Okudaira clan)
A branch domain of Kubota Domain, Dewa Province - the Satake clan (composed of two domains)
Yonezawa Shinden domain of Dewayonezawa Domain - the Uesugi clan
Daishoji Shinden domain, Kaga Province - the Maeda clan
Kofu Shinden domain, Kai Provinces - the Yanagisawa clan (composed of two domains, the one which became the lord of Kurokawa Domain, Echigo Province and the other became the lord of Echigo Mikkaichi Domain later)
Otaki Shinden domain, Kazusa Province - the Abe clan (a daimyo in hereditary vassal to the Tokugawa family)
Ogaki Shinden domain, Omi Province - the Okubo clan
Hikone Shinden domain of Hikone Domain, Omi Province - the Ii clan
Koriyama Shinden domain, Yamato Province - the Honda clan (composed of three domains, the one to became the lord of Yamazaki Domain of Harima Province, the one to become the lord of Harima Akashi Domain, and another one)
Himeji Shinden domain, Harima Himeji Domain - the Matsudaira clan
Harima Himeji Shinden domain - the Sakai clan
Harima Himeji Shinden domain - the Honda clan (composed of the one which became the lord of Yamatokoriyama Domain later and two other ones)
A branch domain of Tottori Domain, Inaba Province - the Ikeda clan (later became Shikano Domain of Tottori Domain and Wakasa Domain of Tottori Domain)
Matsue Shinden domain of Matsue Domain, Izumo Province - the Echizen Matsudaira clan
Tsuyama Shinden domain of Tsuyama Domain, Mimasaka Province (1) - the Mori clan (composed of two domains)
A branch domain of Okayama Domain, Bizen Province - the Ikeda clan (Later became Kamogata Domain and Ikusaka Domain of Okayama Domain.)
Hiroshima Shinden domain of Hiroshima Domain, Aki Province - the Asano clan
Kiyosue Domain of Nagata Province - the Mori clan
Matsuyama Shinden domain of Iyo Matsuyama Domain, Iyo Province - the Hisamatsu clan
Tosa Shinden domain of Tosa Domain, Tosa Province - the Tosa Yamauchi clan
Senzoku Domain of Kokura Domain, Buzen Province - the Ogasawara clan
Hirado Shinden domain of Hirado Domain, Hizen Province - the Matsuura clan