<Note>Old Documents of Forestry and Forest Products in Ohara of Kyoto, Japan

Abstract

Ohara is now a famous sightseeing area in Kyoto. This mountain village has a history of providing wood fuels, such as charcoal and firewood, to downtown Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. The women of Ohara, who carried loads of firewood to downtown Kyoto on their heads, were well known and called "Oharame". They have been a popular subject of poems since the Heian Period. However, there have been few studies on the area based on old documents, due to the limited availability of pertinent documents that have been made public and transcribed to contemporary characters. Since 2005, a local group has sought, studied, and archived old documents related to Ohara. This paper presents twelve documents from the Edo Period related to forest management and firewood production and sales in the Ohara area that were transcribed in cooperation with the study group. Documents 1-3 are community regulations concerning the protection of forest resources. Documents 4-6 reveal the number of households that were engaged in the firewood business. Document 7 concerns a miscellaneous tax imposed on the firewood business. Document 8 suggests that many villagers, including women and the elderly, engaged in the firewood business. Document 9 lists the price of firewood; several villages, including Ohara, agreed on set prices. Document 10 is a petition submitted by the people of Ohara against an order concerning firewood sales. Document 11 is a half-year record of firewood deliveries. Document 12 lists primary production, including firewood, at the beginning of the Meiji Period. Based on these old documents, and more to follow, an overall picture of the village, especially firewood production and sales, and forest management, will be gradually revealed