A History of Kakogawa City(48): Honjin(the Headquarter at Posting Station)

本陣（ほんじん）

　加古川の宿は、明石と姫路との中間に位置し、重要な宿場町でした。

宿場の本陣は、宿場の中心的な施設で参勤交代の大名や公家、幕府の上級役人、身分の高い僧侶などが休息する宿泊施設です。

　外様大名の参勤交代は4月で、譜代大名は6月か8月に江戸に参勤することが決められていました。

加古川の宿は、西国の外様大名の利用が多いため、3月が大忙しの時期でした。

姫路藩は室津（むろづ）をかかえており、室津に上陸した四国・九州の多くの大名は加古川の宿を利用しました。

年に10回程度の利用があったといわれています。

　1826年（文政９）医師、シーボルトも本陣に泊まっています。

Honjin (the Headquarter at Posting Station)

The posting station at Kakogawa was located between Akashi and Himeji.

The Honjin (the headquarter at post town) was the institution where the Daimyo, upper government officials, nobles and high ranking priests lodged and rested.

   Sankin-kotai was a system requiring Daimyo to maintain of mandatory alternate residences in Edo.

Tozama daimyo were required to visit Edo and meet with the Shogun in April.

Fudai daimyo were done from June to August.

Most of the Daimyo who stayed at the Kakogawa Posting Station were Tozama daimyo.

So, it was very busy on March.

There is Murotsu-harbor in Himeji Han.

Many of the daimyo in Shikoku and Kyushu districts took lodging for the night in Kakogawa Posting Station.

Various Daimyo stayed at Kakogawa posting station about 10 times a year.

Francz von Siebolt stayed at Honjin in Kakogawa Posting Station in 1826.