village headman (Kanto region)
Historical term for a village headman, especially in the Kanto region during the Edo period. Often contrasted with 庄屋 (しょうや), which was used in the Kansai region for a similar role.
See also: 庄屋
In the Edo period, the village headman (nanushi) coordinated the payment of land taxes as the village representative.
head of a prisoners' group (Edo period)
senior town administrator (Edo period)
The term 名主 (なぬし) combines 名 (な, 'name' or 'reputation') and 主 (ぬし, 'master' or 'owner'). Historically, it referred to the head of a village or a landholding unit (名) in medieval and early modern Japan.