20Political Reform and Human Resource Development

The Saga Domain was experiencing great financial hardship due to expenses at its Edo Headquarters and the long years of guarding Nagasaki harbor. In order to set right the domain’s finances, Nabeshima Naomasa, the tenth lord of the Saga Domain, practiced frugality and reduced the number of attendants in his procession. Meanwhile, the Saga Domain actively encouraged development of new industries such as candlemaking and coal in order to increase income. It also promoted science, technology, and educational reform using this increased revenue. Kodo-kan, the domain school for the children of warriors, tripled in size and set a strict rule that the students who could not graduate could not become public officials. The school also let its students study outside the domain and acquire new knowledge.