Historical term for a lord who ruled over a territory in feudal Japan. Often used in historical contexts or fantasy settings.
This region was ruled by a powerful feudal lord during the Edo period.
In the game, the player becomes the lord of a small village.
The lord of this region strictly collected taxes from the peasants.
The farmers had no choice but to obey their feudal lord.
He governed this land as its feudal lord from a young age.
城主 emphasizes lordship centered on a castle, while 領主 emphasizes rule over a territory more broadly.
領主 refers broadly to any ruler of a territory in any era or country, while 殿様 is specifically the Japanese, often Edo-period, term of address.
地主 is a modern term for a landowner who owns land as private property, while 領主 is a historical feudal ruler with political authority over a territory.
Compound of 領 (territory) and 主 (master, lord). The reading is on'yomi for both characters.