1.
landowner, landlord
A person who owns land. Historically refers to wealthy landowners who leased land to tenant farmers. In modern usage, refers to anyone who owns real property.
地主に許可をもらう。
To get permission from the landowner.
地主と借地人の間でトラブルが起きた。
A dispute arose between the landowner and the tenant.
戦前の日本では大地主が広大な農地を所有していた。
In prewar Japan, large landowners possessed vast farmland.
HISTORY:
The 地主 system was central to pre-modern Japanese agriculture. Large landowners leased rice paddies to tenant farmers (小作人), who paid rent in rice. After World War II, the Allied occupation carried out land reform (農地改革), breaking up large estates and distributing land to tenant farmers.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 大地主: large landowner
- 地主と小作人: landowner and tenant farmer
- 不在地主: absentee landlord