Hōkōshū (奉公衆) were high-ranking samurai guard-officials and close retainers (gokenin) to the Ashikaga shogun in Muromachi period Japan. The hōkōshū were made up from five guard groups, and thus were also known as gobanshū (五番衆) or simply banshū (番衆). Their role was to restrict the power of powerful regional shugo daimyo and increase their dependence on the central government.