Sankin Kotai,

The Policy of Alternative Attendance Duties

“Sankin kotai” was a policy initiated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period, and perfected by the Tokugawa Shogunate during the relative peace of the Edo period. Sankin kotai required the daimyo, or nobility to spend alternate years between their home domains, and residencies in Edo, (modern Tokyo). In principal, the practice was to provide military services to the Shogun. A set number of the daimyo’s samurai would accompany him to Edo, and while stationed there would perform castle or town guard duties and other administrative services to the Shogun.