The Gonin-gumi system consisted of groups of five members who were landholders in a village, and landlords/house owners in a town, including appointed group leaders called 'Kumigashira.'
五人組制度は村では惣百姓、町では地主・家持を近隣ごとに五戸前後を一組として編成し、各組に組頭などと呼ばれる代表者を定めた。