During the Koka era (1844-1848) Lord Junsho of Tsugaru Castle ordered KOKONOE Fujikichi to make a clock. His estimate (a ten page book – detailed in Taizaburo Tsukada) showed that it would take 2,845 days, including 15 days to make the hands. Completion took three years.
“The structure is simple, with two large lead weights suspended on two pieces of cord about one jo, five shaku in length. The weight for timekeeping is three kan, 700 me, and the one for striking, four kan, 300 me. In addition to the two large weights, there are two small weights for the balance, of diameter one sun, five bu. The two cords turn two toothed wheels. Other than these only two or three wheels can be seen, which comprise the strike train to sound the bells loudly…nine, eight, etc. After winding up the driving weights there is no further need for manpower for five or six days. This is done by the bonze. The clock movement is cased with bronze plates on four sides; their width is one shaku, five bu, and their length one shaku, six sun, three bu. The height, including the bell, exceeds three shaku. This clock hung in the clock room of the castle for a long time.“
“Acknowledging your order for the making of one large clock:
Item Weight or unit Remarks
Iron ore 25 kan Including shrinkage while forging 7 times.
Steel from iron ore 7 kan Including shrinkage while forging 7 times.
Forging charcoal 300 bales Including preparations for forging wheels.
Smith’s daily wages 660 momme 2 momme, 2 bu each for 300 persons.
Daily workers’ wages 660 momme 300 persons for forging of wheels, including preparations.
Crimson hood of gold bronze 700 momme
Borax 20 momme
Charcoal 25 bales
Lead 3 kan Repairs for 4 large /small weights and 2 balance weights.
Rubbing stone (Kaya-naka-to)
Jo kei-to One piece
Iyo-to One piece
Hoso nagura-to One piece
Naru taki-to One piece
Varnish (Yoshino-urushi) 130 momme For coating the whole.
Undercoating varnish 200 momme
Yoshino paper 3 sheets For lacquer screening.
Bleached cotton cloth 6 shaku
Best Mino paper(Jo-hanshi) 1 sheet For technical drawings of the clock wheel arrangement.
Best Japanese paper 2 sheets For polishing the wheels.
Varnish brush 2 each One sun thick.
Best varnish 20 momme For varnishing the revolving toothed wheels.
Best gold powders 5 fun For lacquering 12 horary divisions, and toothed wheels.
Floss (Mawata) 100 momme For lacquer finishing use.
From the Pharmacy:
Glossary cloth 2 sheets For polishing wheels.
Camelia oil 2 go (One go = 0.18 litre)
Lacquering brush 1 pair
Hair bristle brush 1 pair
From the leather shop:
White deerskin 300 sun By weight estimate.
Cowhide 200 sun By weight estimate.
For shrine employees:
Candles 30 each To hang ten times.
The following is a memorandum for wages of 2 momme, 2 bu, per person.
Item Man Days Charge Remarks
Second front wheel 70 150 momme For gauging and cutting teeth
Third front wheel 55 120 momme in both facings of the forgings.
Dial wheel 85 179 momme
First front arbor 50 110 momme
Second arbor pinion 75 165 momme
Centre post 55 121 momme
Rear post 55 121 momme
Front screw 20 44 momme
Strike count wheel 85 178 momme Made of bronze.
Rear first arbor 55 110 momme Made of bronze.
Rear second arbor 75 165 momme
Centre wedge 3 6 momme 6 bu One each
Rear wedge 1 6 momme 6 bu One each
Rear First wheel 120 264 momme One each
Rear second wheel 100 220 momme One each
Rear third wheel 65 143 momme One each
Whole front part 65 143 momme Inspection and maintenance.
Whole back part 75 165 momme Inspection and maintenance.
Twelve horary branches 20 22 momme Numeral and letter lacquering.
Vermillion painting lacquering 7 15 momme 4 bu
Wheel train 55 121 momme Fitting of all.
Front hand 15 33 momme Made of bronze.
Wedge for the hand 15 33 momme
Front second arbor 10 22 momme
Front third arbor 8 17 momme 6 bu Fitting
Escape wheel 10 22 momme Fitting
Rear First arbor 10 10 momme Fitting
Rear second arbor 10 10 momme Fitting
Rear third arbor 8 17 momme 6bu Fitting
Rear fourth arbor 6 13 momme 2bu Fitting
Fan arbor 4 8 momme 8bu Fitting
Hole for post 150 330 momme
All wheels 150 330 momme
Balance foliot 55 121 momme
Best screw 55 121 momme
Front first arbor 10 22 momme Fitting
Third pinion 55 121 momme Fitting
Fourth pinion 45 99 momme Fitting
Fan pinion 35 77 momme Fitting
Count wheel 55 122 momme Fitting
Best screw 55 121 momme
Front first arbor 10 22 momme Fitting
Third pinion 55 121 momme Fitting
Fourth pinion 45 99 momme Fitting
Fan pinion 35 77 momme Fitting
Count wheel 55 122 momme Fitting
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