Site of Obama Domain Rice Storehouses

The site now occupied by Matsunoki Jinja Shrine in Kumagawa-juku was once where twelve rice storehouses stored tax payments collected from 61 villages across Obama domain. Rice arrived by river from across the domain, was tallied by magistrates, then transported by horse to Lake Biwa and by boat to Kyoto. The shrine was founded in 1933 to honor village leader Matsunoki Shozaemon, who was executed in 1652 for petitioning the government on behalf of heavily taxed farmers. Taxes were reduced after his death, and he is remembered as a local hero.