Agatanushi
Agatanushi ( Japanese 県 主 , historically : 縣 主 ) referred to the head ( nushi ) of a historical administrative unit ( agata ) in ancient Japan and a hereditary status ( kabane ).
The exact nature of an agata is unclear: either they were estates that were directly subordinate to the imperial court, subordinate administrative units of a province or forerunners of the historical districts ( kōri ). In China, the characters corresponded to the administrative level of a district ( xiàn ), which was under a command ( jùn , which was written with the same characters as the kōri) and this in turn was under a province.
The Kojiki also mentions with the Shiki no ōagatanushi ( 志 幾 之 大 県 主 ) and the Taniwa no ōagatanushi ( 旦 波 之 大 県 主 ), whose daughter was concubine of the Tennō Kaika , two more large Agatanushi.
The character of the agata was reused for the establishment of today's prefectures of Japan in 1868, but is read ken . There is also no continuity between the two administrative units.