Kajiki Unofficial Mint Site

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Kajiki Unofficial Mint Site

For many centuries, feudal Japan’s monetary system was based not on bullion but rice and other commodities. Copper coins had fallen out of favor by the end of the 10th century, and it was not until 1626 that the Tokugawa shogunate introduced the famous Kan’ei Tsūhō coinage as its official currency. Before this economic reform, the Chinese cash—a round coin with a square hole in the middle—was the de facto currency in international trade, and a n…