Toiyaba (administrative offices) (問屋場)

Toiyaba were administrative offices in post stations on roads during the Edo period, which mainly dealt with relays of riders and horses as well as sukego fuka (labor from the neighboring villages to help the primarily imposed village).
They were also called ''Ekitei,'' ''Tenmasho,'' or Majime.''
('Tonya' (warehouse merchant) in this article means transportation business. cf. Toimaru)

The master of Toiyaba was called Tonya and there were Toshiyori, who was Tonya's assistant, Chozuke, who registerd riders, horses and wages, and Umasashi, who alloted baggage to riders and horses. The staff usually rotated; however when the traffic was heavy for such occasions as daimyo's (feudal lord's) procession, all of them were supposed to be at the office.

Toiyaba still remaining and open to the public

Nakasendo Narai-juku => Kamidonya Museum (Narakawa Village, Kiso County, Nagano Prefecture)

Nakasendo Samegai-juku => Maibara City Samegai-juku Museum (Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture)

[Original Japanese]