sterile

Territory of Utsu family was sterile originally.
So it was not suitable for farmland.
　
Official harvest of there was 4,000 koku.
Tax rate was determined based on this number.　
But maybe the actual amount of harvest was lower than that.
　
4000 koku might have been maximum value of this land potential.

Of course，if every year is good harvest，the word of "good harvest" will not exist in the world.
As result，life of farmers of this land was painful.
　

・・・・・・・・・　
　
　
"Please improve the tax rate."　
From the early 18th century、representatives of the farmers complained so many times.　
　
Dismissal of the village head job.
Capital offense.

But they had been punished severely each time.

"A kind of rebellion."
It might have been thought like that.　
(I do not know now more details.)　
　
Probably Tokugawa had such legal provision.　
And of course they also would had understood it.

They complained while being so.
Situation of rural was serious to that extent.
　
　
・・・・・・・・・　
　
　
Cultivation abandonment and flit.
It had been occured chronically as a corollary.
And the Great Famine.
　
Around 1820.
The sharp decrease to 156 houses from 400 houses in the last 100 years.
And total debt of 156 houses was 1000 ryo.　
　
Kinjiro was appointed to this place.