was the Tokugawa shogunate's officially sanctioned copper monopoly or copper guild (za)[1] which was created in 1636[2] and (1701–1712, 1738–1746, 1766–1768).[3]
Initially, the Tokugawa shogunate was interested in assuring a consistent value in minted copper coins; and this led to the perceived need for attending to the supply of copper.
This bakufu title identifies a regulatory agency with responsibility for supervising the minting of copper coins and for superintending all copper mines, copper mining and copper-extraction activities in Japan.[4]