The Essential traveler's Guide To Japan

Farmers

Farmers held a privileged position just below the Samurai's because their most important job was to grow and support the country of Japan with rice because it was the most important food of the country. Although their position in society was good, they had difficult lives. They were not allowed to leave their lands or village as the daimyo did not want to lose the profit of their labor. They also have a very strict dress code.

Two groups of farmers lived in the village.The honbyakusho, principal farmers, who owned their own lands sometimes and worked on specific land plots.They often held supervisory positions in their village. The hyakusho were ordinary farmers, were the tenant farmers who were forced to work and they didn't have their own lands.