Organization and Functions of the Imperial Household Agency

Internal Subdivisions

Grand Steward's Secretariat

The Grand Steward's Secretariat consists of the following divisions: the Secretariat Division, General Affairs Division, Imperial Princes' Household Affairs Division, Accounting Division, Supply Division, and the Imperial Household Hospital.Senior staff of the Grand Steward's Secretariat are : Councillor, Supervisor of the Imperial Princes' Household Affairs, Treasurer of the Imperial Household, Medical Supervisor of the Imperial Household. Under the Secretariat Division is placed the Research and Planning Office, and under the General Affairs Division is placed the Press and Public Relations Office.

Secretariat Division

The Secretariat Division is responsible for matters pertaining to the Imperial Household Council, research and statistics on the Imperial Household system, receiving/shipping official documents, reviewing/submitting documents, matters pertaining to documents for official gazettes, and administration, payment, health preservation, and welfare for personnel.

General Affairs Division

The General Affairs Division is responsible for matters pertaining to tours for Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, donations for disasters, granting business incentives to highly-rated social work entities, receiving articles for presentation, audiences, luncheons, tea ceremonies, visits from the general public to the Palace for both the New Year Greeting and His Majesty's Birthday, matters pertaining to press releases, matters pertaining to publicity, and volunteer work at the Imperial Palace and Akasaka Imperial Gardens.

Imperial Prince's Household Affairs Division

The Imperial Prince's Household Affairs Division is responsible for household affairs pertaining to the imperial families of Prince Akishino, Prince Hitachi, Prince Mikasa and Prince Takamado.

Accounting Division

The Accounting Division is responsible for the budget and settlement of accounts for expenses and incomes for the Imperial Household Economy Council and financial audit.

Supply Division

The Supply Division is responsible for the management and inspection of equipment, consumable supplies, resources for repair and devices, and matters pertaining to the Museum of The Imperial Collections.

Hospital of the Imperial Household

The Hospital of the Imperial Household is the hospital that provides medical care to His Majesty the Emperor and the imperial families. The hospital also provides medical care to the personnel of the Imperial Household Agency and the general public.

Board of the Chamberlains

The Board is headed by the Grand Chamberlain to H.M. the Emperor. Its senior staff are : Vice-Grand Chamberlain to H.M. the Emperor, Chamberlains to H.M. the Emperor, Chief Lady-in-Waiting to H.M. the Empress, Ladies-in-Waiting to H.M. the Empress, Chief Court Physician and Court Physicians. The Board takes charge of the daily life of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko. It also keeps the Privy Seal and the State Seal.

Emperor Emeritus' Household

The Board is headed by the Grand Chamberlain to H.M. the Emperor Emeritus and its senior staff are : Vice-Grand Chamberlain to H.M. the Emperor Emeritus, Chamberlain to H.M. the Emperor Emeritus, Chief Lady-in-Waiting to H.M. the Empress Emerita, Ladies-in-Waiting to H.M. the Empress Emerita, Chief Physician of the Emperor Emeritus' Household and Physicians of the Emperor Emeritus' Household. The Board takes charge of the daily life of Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita.

Crown Prince's Household

The Board is headed by the Grand Master of the Crown Prince's Household and its senior staff are : Chief Private Secretary to T.I.H. the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Private Secretary to T.I.H. the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Chief Physician of the Crown Prince's Household and Physician of the Crown Prince's Household. The Board takes charge of the daily life of Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mako, Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako and His Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito.

Board of the Ceremonies

The Board is headed by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies. One of the two Vice-Grand Masters of the Ceremonies is responsible for ceremonies, music and wild-duck netting. The Board's Music Department performs both Gagaku, i.e. ancient court music, and the western classical music. The other Vice-Grand Master of the Ceremonies is responsible for the Imperial Family's activities concerning fostering friendly relationship with foreign countries, such as Their Majesties' State visits to foreign countries and various court functions held for visiting foreign dignitaries.

Archives and Mausolea Department

The Department is headed by the Director-General and consists of the following divisions. The Archives Division, Compiling Division and the Imperial Mausolea and Tombs Division. In addition, five regional offices at Tama, Momoyama, Tsukinowa, Unebi and Furuichi, deal with the day-to-day affairs pertaining to Imperial Mausolea and Tombs in their respective areas.

Archives Division

The Archives Division is responsible for maintenance, registration, and archive of the Imperial family record, for archiving, repairing, transferring and reproducing documents and records such as ancient documents that have been passed from generation to generation in the Imperial family, for editing and maintaining the archives pertaining to the Imperial Household Agency, and for matters pertaining to the branch library of the National Diet Library in the Imperial Household Agency and Shosoin Treasure House.

Compiling Division

The Compiling Division is responsible for the compilation of historical texts for successive emperors and the Imperial families, and for matters pertaining to compilation and archive of the Historical Materials of the Imperial System and other documents.

Mausolea and Tombs Division

The Mausolea and Tombs Division is responsible for matters pertaining to the maintenance, investigation and study of the Imperial Mausolea and Tombs.

Regional Office for Imperial Mausolea and Tombs

The Imperial Mausolea and Tombs that exist in various districts are divided into five administrative regions and are maintained by the regional offices at Tama, Momoyama, Tsukinowa, Unebi and Furuichi.

Maintenance and Works Department

The Department is headed by the Director-General and consists of the following divisions and senior official: the Administration Division, Works Division, Gardens Division, Imperial Cuisine Division, Vehicles and Horses Division and the Superintendent of the Imperial Palace. In addition, three regional offices maintain the Imperial Villas in Nasu, Suzaki and Hayama, and another office looks after the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.

Administration Division

The Administration Division is responsible for matters pertaining to the management of the national properties (Imperial House Use Properties and the properties of the agency) whose authority the Imperial Household Agency owns, the supervision of guest visits to the Imperial Palace and other premises, and the supervision of the construction of the Imperial Palace and other premises, epidemic prevention, sterilization and other health controls, and the cleaning and maintenance of office buildings and the Imperial Stock Farm.

Works Division

To maintain the national properties whose authority the Imperial Household Agency owns, the Works Division is responsible for matters pertaining to the construction, civil engineering and other works, water supply, electricity, gas and other accommodations.

Gardens Division

The Gardens Division is responsible for matters pertaining to gardens, gardening, and planting.

Imperial Cuisine Division

The Imperial Cuisine Division is responsible for banquets and tea ceremonies held during court events and for preparing and cooking daily meals for His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial family.

Vehicles and Horses Division

The Vehicles and Horses Division is responsible for matters pertaining to vehicles and horses.

Superintendent of the Imperial Palace

The Superintendent of the Imperial Palace is responsible for matters pertaining to the maintenance of the Imperial Palace including security and construction.

Intendant's Office for the Imperial Villas

The Intendant's Office for the Imperial Villas is responsible for matters pertaining to the maintenance of Nasu Imperial Villa, Suzaki Imperial Villa and Hayama Imperial Villa.

Intendant's Office for the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace

The Intendant's Office for the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace is responsible for matters pertaining to the maintenance of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.

Auxiliary Organs

The Shosoin Treasure House in Nara Prefecture, preserves and studies the ancient treasures and Buddhist scrolls, many of which were housed in the Shosoin since the 8th century. The Imperial Stock Farm in Tochigi Prefecture undertakes animal husbandry.

Office of the Shosoin Treasure House

The Office of the Shosoin Treasure House is responsible for the storage and maintenance of the collections of the Shosoin Treasure House and Shogozo kyokan (Shogozo scrolls), and for the investigation, study, organization, repair, recovery and copying of the collections. It is also responsible for the management of the establishments and land of Shoso (main building), Shogozo warehouse and the east and west warehouses.

Imperial Stock Farm

The Imperial Stock Farm is responsible for feeding the livestock and producing agricultural and livestock products for the Imperial family and other associated jobs.

Local Branch Office

As a local branch office of the Imperial Household Agency, the Kyoto Office is responsible for the maintenance of the Imperial House Use Properties such as the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto Omiya Palace, Sento Imperial Palace, and Katsura and Shugakuin Imperial Villas, in addition to the areas around Momoyama, Tsukinowa, Unebi and Furuichi, where the Imperial Mausolea and Tombs are located.