direct appeal to a high official (Edo period)
Historical term for a practice during the Edo period where a commoner would bypass the usual legal hierarchy and appeal directly to a senior official or the shogunate, often by rushing to a high court or official's procession.
During the Edo period, direct appeals were strictly restricted.
He attempted a direct appeal to plead the farmers' plight.
Standard modern spelling.
Variant with older okurigana usage; still seen in historical contexts.
Compound of 駆け込み (running in) and 訴え (appeal, lawsuit). The term describes the act of rushing to a high court or official to lodge a complaint directly, bypassing lower authorities.