The term is a Kamakura and Muromachi period colloquialism for any very important governmental, judiciary or military post in a determinate area. During the Kamakura shogunate, examples of tandai in the east of the country were the shikken and the rensho, in the west of the country and in Kyà «shà « the Rokuhara tandai and the Chinzei bugyà Â, also called Chinzei tandai.
Examples during the Muromachi period were the Chinzei bugyà Â, also called Kyà «shà « tandai, à Âshà « province's à Âshà « tandai and Dewa province's Ushà « tandai.