- Jito
Jito (地頭 Jitō) were medieval land stewards in
Japan , especially in the Kamakura and MuromachiShogunate s. Appointed by theShogun , Jito managed manors including national holdings governed by the provincial governor (kokushi ).The term jito began to be used in the late
Heian period as an adjectival word like "local". For example, a jito person (地頭人) meant a local influential. Later, jito was sometimes used to call persons who manage each local manor. For modern historians cannot clarify the character of the early jito appointed by Yoritomo, the conditions of these precursors are much less known.Jito was officially established when
Minamoto Yoritomo was appointed the office of the Head of Jito by theImperial court with the right of nationwide appointment of Jito. Yoritomo appointed many Jito nationwide, however mainly in Kantō. In the Kamakura period, Jito were chosen amongst theGokenin (the shogun's vassals) who governed military affairs. Jito handled the taxation and administration of the manor to which they were appointed, and directly administrated the lands and the farmers of the manor.After the
Jōkyū War , the Shogunate appointed many Jito in the Western Japan to the land that the people of the losing side had possessed. At that time, many prominent Gokenin includingMori clan (1221 ) andŌtomo clan moved from the east to the west.The jito system was officially abolished in the late of
16th century byToyotomi Hideyoshi .
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