Trade relation between Osaka/Kyoto

Trade relation between Osaka/Kyoto and Edo and the castletowens along and on the periphery of the Tokaido road, on the one hand, and between Osaka/kyoto and the domains (han), on the other,brought about the need for and consequent rapid development of a more efficient and economical system of transportation and communication by land and by sea. The responsibility for providing the necessary modes and mechanisms to facilitate the dynamic-expansion of trade and commerce and to provide the essential market and monetary network, of course, fell upon the shoulders of the merchants and artisans/craftsmen because they were equipped to accomplish such purposes.
It was beneath the dignity of the samurai to be connected in any way with matters related to trade or commerce. The reluctance of the samurai to engage in commercial matters resulted in great benefits to both the merchants and artisans/craftsmen, as well as the peasant-farmers to the decided detriment of themselves. Both the merchants and, to a lesser extent, the peasant-farmers eventually passed the samurai class by substantial proportions in wealth and economic power. The merchants were too adroit to engage in thwarting the Bakufu system. It was to their advantage to work within the system and use it to engage in mercantile and money lending activities. And that is what they did. The artisans/craftsmen also received substantial economic benefits from the concomitant circumstances of the increased building and construction activities in Edo, the castletowns and other major cities, as well as construction of and along the Tokaido road other routes of travel by land by sea. The merchantsn prevailed over the samurai because the transformation from an agricultural/rice economy to a mercantile/money economy during the Edo Period was brought about and natured by tokugawa law, howere inadvertent and unintended.
The increasing poverty of the samurai and resulting substantial increase in samurai debts to the merchants and the wealthy farmers, from the lowest retainer up to the Military Houses (buke shohatto), promulgated by Hidetada, the second tokugawa shogun in 1616.
The original buke shohatto was merely a codification of customary laws, which supplemented them and did not replace them. In order to emphasize the importance of the buke shohatto, it was always reaffirmed and amended upon the accession of a new shogun (e.g., 1635, 1663m 1683, etc.). It was after Iematsu became the third shogun (1623-1651) that the buke shohatto was amended to codify in specific terms the traditional practice of the alternative attendance system (sankin kotai) Each daimyo was required to alternate years of residence in Edo and in his own domain (han), and his wife and family were required to remain in Edo as "hostages" when he returned to his domain (han).
In addition to the written laws (codes) promulgated by the shogunate, tokugawa law consisted of edicts of the shogun and customary law and practices.
Despite the written laws promulgated by the tokugawa shogunate, the daily lives of the lower class peasant-farmers, artisans/ craftsmen and the merchants continued on little, if at all, effected. the codes and edicts were not directed toward any of those classes of person. The kuge hoshiki was directed to and effected only the emperor and the Imperial Court Nobles, the buke shohatto was directed to and effected only the Warrior Classes (the daimyo and other Samurai) and the kostsu was directed to and effected only the gentry (hatamoto) in the castletowns. As for the Code of 100 Articles (o-sasame-gaki hyakkajo), it was essentially a compilation of customary practices directed to Bakufu officials for their guidance in administration, was not made public, and therefore did not affect the everyday lives of the peasant-farmers, artisans/craftsmen or merchants.