The word "Tanada" was mentioned in Koyasan Bunsho written in 1338, which recorded the yield and marking off of Tanada in units of "tan" in Shibutasho, Ito County, Kii Province (today's Katsuragi-cho, Wakayama Prefecture), in a sentence "棚田一反御得分四十歩ハ."
紀伊国伊都郡志富田荘（和歌山県かつらぎ町）の棚田の反別、収穫量を記した建武(年号)5年（1338年）の高野山文書では、「棚田一反御得分四十歩ハ・・・」と棚田の文字がみえる。