free service after apprenticeship; post-apprenticeship labor of gratitude
Historical term referring to the period of unpaid or low-paid work a person performed for their master after completing an apprenticeship, as a way of showing gratitude for the training received. Common in the Edo period.
In the Edo period, an apprentice was finally recognized as a full-fledged worker after completing their post-apprenticeship service of gratitude.
The length of the post-apprenticeship service varied depending on the trade.