rank

"Farmland has rank of high, medium and low.
This will be a measure of its farmland crop yields.
And Annual tribute rate of its farmland is determined by this rank."
Kinjiro said so.

"However,if we increase the point of view a little.
This region is suitable for farming.
This region is not suitable for farming.
In practice,it is also exists as a matter of course."

He continued to talk.

"And unfortunately，territory of the Utsu family is region of the lowest as land of cultivation.
Crop yields of high rank farmland of this region.
This is inferior to crop yields of low rank farmland of high rank region.
But it is not taken into account at all.

High rank farmland of high rank region.
High rank farmland of low rank region.　
(In practice，it is below of low rank farmland of high rank region.)

These two must pay Annual tribute of the same amount as the same high rank farmland.
　
Collapse of territory of the Utsu family.
It is rightly."
Kinjiro concluded so.
　
　
・・・・・・・・・


I do not understand a little.

"Rate of Annual tribute of farmland in this rank is this."
(amount of rice.）

Its farmland conditions and its farmland arable land area.
Based on it，annual tribute rate might was determined to across-the-board.

But officials(samurai) of the Utsu family absolutely know state of planting.
Because there was their territory.
　
"Crop yields of our territory is no 4000 koku at all."
They were understand it of course.

"We therefore reduce our Annual tribute rate to catch up with the current situation."
Naturally, they should reach this conclusion.

But it did not.
Probably they were not able to it.
　
"The Utsu family is the status of 4000 koku."
It has been defined so when they branch from the Odawara clan.

Yes，era was Feudal era.

Crop yields of rice.
It was important for samurai in particular.

Standing position of them in society of samurai.
(in the ruling class.)
It had been determined by their crop yields.

”We lower the Annual tribute rate.”
　
This is not only represent a drop in their income.
It represent a reduction in the social status of them.