The or Five Commissioners, was an administrative organ of feudal Japan which later evolved into the Go-Tairō (Council of Five Elders

Council of Five Elders

The council of five elders, also known as the five Tairō , was formed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to rule Japan in the place of his son, Hideyori, until such time as he came of age. Hideyoshi chose his five most powerful daimyo: Ukita Hideie, Maeda Toshiie, Uesugi Kagekatsu, Mōri Terumoto, and the...

). It was established by Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...

 when he became kampaku

Sessho and Kampaku

In Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of both first secretary and regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era,...

 (Imperial regent) in 1585.

The Commissioners were charged with governing the capital city of Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

 and the surrounding areas, which were called kinai

Kansai

The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...

 or the Home Provinces. Hideyoshi, however, still maintained a very active interest in administrative matters, and it has been theorized by some scholars that the Go-Bugyō, unlike the Go-Tairō that replaced it, served more as a committee of specialists and advisors than a group that actually enacted policy decisions.

The original five appointed were Asano Nagamasa

Asano Nagamasa

was the brother-in-law of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of his chief advisors. Asano also fought for Hideyoshi in a number of campaigns during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan....

, Maeda Gen'i, Mashita Nagamori

Mashita Nagamori

was a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period, and one of the Go-Bugyō appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.Also called Niemon or by his court title, Uemon-no-jō ....

, Natsuka Masaie

Natsuka Masaie

was a daimyo in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and one of the Go-Bugyō, or five commissioners, appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.Born in Owari Province, Masaie served Niwa Nagahide who was a retainer of the Oda clan...

, and Ishida Mitsunari

Ishida Mitsunari

Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...

. All five were samurai from Ōmi

Omi Province

is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. It is nicknamed as .Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province...

 and Owari

Owari Province

was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....

 provinces, and strong supporters of Hideyoshi's former lord, Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

.

Maeda Gen'i, a Buddhist abbot also known as Abbot Tokuzen-in, was given the post of Shoshi-dai, or Commissioner for the Metropolitan Area (of Kyoto). As a result, he addressed a variety of religious matters, as well as acting as a judge in civil disputes. Natsuka Masaie became Commissioner of Finance, and Mashida Nagamori was assigned to Public Works. Ishida Mitsunari was made Commissioner of Police, and also governed the area of Sakai

Sakai, Osaka

is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...

 near Osaka. Sakai was a major port, and so Ishida dealt heavily with the governance and control of various aspects of trade as well.

List of go-bugyō

• Asano Nagamasa
  Asano Nagamasa
  was the brother-in-law of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of his chief advisors. Asano also fought for Hideyoshi in a number of campaigns during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan....
  
  
• Maeda Gen'i
• Mashita Nagamori
  Mashita Nagamori
  was a daimyo in Azuchi-Momoyama period, and one of the Go-Bugyō appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.Also called Niemon or by his court title, Uemon-no-jō ....
  
  
• Natsuka Masaie
  Natsuka Masaie
  was a daimyo in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and one of the Go-Bugyō, or five commissioners, appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.Born in Owari Province, Masaie served Niwa Nagahide who was a retainer of the Oda clan...
  
  
• Ishida Mitsunari
  Ishida Mitsunari
  Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō...