A feature of the medieval period was that, concerning land-controlling rights and tax-collecting rights, persons in various social statuses, such as nobles in Kyoto, powerful temples and shrines, local ryoshu, jito and nanushi, were related with each other and formed multi-tiered right oriented relationships (this structure called shiki-no-taikei (literally, a job system)).
中世期の特徴は、土地の支配権および収益権をめぐって、中央貴族や有力寺社、在地領主・地頭・名主など様々な主体が入り組みながら重層的な権利関係を形成している点にあった（これを職の体系という）。