Chikama Tokiie

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Chikama Tokiie was a gokenin (a vassal) and a retainer of the Hōjō clan who ruled in the Kamakura shogunate in the early 14th century. The Chikama clan came from Chikama in Owari Province (now part of Nagoya) and ruled Chikama as shogunate vassals. At some point they became private retainers of the Hōjō Tokusō, the de facto rulers of the time. They later moved to Kawanabe District in Satsuma Province, a Tokusō property, to serve as deputy ruler (jitō) there.

Tokiie is known for documents created in 1306 that list properties to be inherited by his family: his three sons, two daughters, and two wives. The records show that Kawanabe District and Wakamori were properties of the Tokusō, with the Chikama clan acting as deputy rulers. The villages in Kawanabe lay in the Manose River valley, near the Mottaimatsu Site, a major trading center downstream. Tokiie also owned Bōnotsu, a trading port connected to Hakata Bay, China, and the Ryukyu Islands.

The documents mention several southern islands, including the Ōsumi Islands, the Tokara Islands (the Seven), Kikai Island, Amami Ōshima, Tokunoshima, and probably Okinoerabu. Although the Amami Islands were not always considered part of Japan, they were treated as lands belonging to a Japanese lord. A map from Kanazawa Bunko also appears to show Amami as privately owned land, suggesting the Hōjō viewed the Amami Islands as outside Japan but still owned.