Imperial Household Department, c. 1910.

Imperial Household Department (center) at Sakashita Gate, c. 1910. The Ministry of the Imperial Household was first a division of the 8th-century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, formalized during the Heian period. The Department was reorganized in the Meiji period and existed until 1947, before being replaced by the Imperial Household Agency. The Imperial Household Minister, as the chief official was then called, was responsible for assisting the Emperor in all matters concerning the Imperial House.

“The Imperial Household Department is under the control of the Minister of the Imperial Household, who, in addition to supervising all affairs relating to the Imperial Household, and controlling all officials in his department and the Peers of the realm and of Chosen, has authority to recommend the revision or abolition of the Imperial Household Law, lay down bye-laws relative to the enforcement of the Imperial Household Law, issue decrees relating to the affairs in his jurisdiction, issue instructions or orders to local authorities, carry out Imperial commends relating to honours, gifts, or donations, take charge of the appointment of the ofﬁcials in the department, recommend to the Throne the grant of Court ranks to the officials in the department and Peers of the realm and Chosen, create various commissions or boards in the department for the deliberation of matters in his jurisdiction, sign all documents or announcements stipulated by the Imperial Household Law, or report important affairs concerning the Imperial Household, and supervise the accounts of the Imperial Household.

“In the Imperial Household Department the Vice-Minister is appointed as Lieutenant to the Minister of the Household. In some matters he can act as deputy for the Minister of the Household.”

– Japan in the Taisho Era: In Commemoration of the Enthronement, Iwata Nishizawa, 1917

Imperial Household Department at Sakashita Gate, c. 1910.