Shinban (新番)

Shinban is a post in a samurai family in the area of security and military affairs (bankata)
In the peace of the Edo Period, it is a bankata post that merged the newly created function of guards to protect the shogun in his travels and the function of standing army.

It is one of the five bankata posts in the Edo shogunate (namely, shoinban (castle guards), koshogumi (page corps), oban (hatamoto castle guards), kojunin (escort guards) and shinban (new guards)) and joined the troop formation when the shogun ventured out of the Edo Castle, to serve as security guards as well as to inspect weapons. The shinbangashira who heads the shinban earned salary of 2,000-koku rice yield and was in some instances selected from hatamoto retainers who ranked in the 5,000-koku class. The earnings of the average shinban retainer was 250-koku yield, lower by 50 koku compared to those in shoinban and koshoban but is distinguished for not being obliged to keep horses at all times. However, the shinban was allowed to ride horses. Like the oban, promotion was limited.

The title of the shinban is sometimes seen in domains, especially in large domains. In addition to serving as standing army for the domain, the shinban very often escorted the lord in his travels for protection. In Satsuma Domain, there was shinban as a name for social standing.

[Original Japanese]