Yoriki assisted
daimyō (feudal lords) or their designated commanders during military campaigns in the
Kamakura and
Muromachi periods. During the
Sengoku period, as the scale of warfare increased, the organization of armies commanded by was subdivided. The
daimyō commanded the entire army as the commander-in-chief, . Under him, the commanded the main cavalry force, while the commanded the who fought on foot.
Yoriki, often from the , assisted the
samurai daisho and the
ashigaru taishō on horseback. In the
Edo period,
yoriki provided administrative assistance at governmental offices. Among different
yorikis were the
machikata yoriki, who were in charge of police under the command of the
machi-bugyō. Below the
yoriki were the
dōshin. In the city of Edo there were about 25
yorikis working each for the two
machi-bugyō offices. Since their status was , they were originally equivalent to and not allowed to ride horses, but the
yoriki were allowed to ride as a special exception. ==References==