Jito (Ryukyu)

• Japanese: 地頭 (jitou)

The jitô were local officials appointed by the Ryukyuan court to serve as district administrators, after the anji (local lords) were removed from their lands by King Shô Shin in the early 16th century.

There were several ranks of jitô: those assigned to an entire magiri (district) were known as anji-jitô, while those assigned to smaller territories within a magiri were known as waki-jitô. The jitô resided in the capital as did the anji, appointing officials known as jitôdai to administer their lands for them.

References

• Smits, Gregory. Visions of Ryukyu. University of Hawaii Press, 1999. p165.
• "Jitô." Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia　沖縄コンパクト事典. Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.