Ministry of the Treasury
# Ministry of the Treasury

The Ministry of the Treasury (大蔵省, Ōkura-shō, lit. 'the department of the great treasury') was a division of the eighth-century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period.

## Overview

The nature of the ministry was modified in response to changing times. The ambit of the Ministry's activities encompasses, for example:

* administration of public accounts
* oversight of tax collections and of offerings to the Emperor
* regulation of weights and measures
* control of the functuations in prices of commodities
* regulation and oversight of the coinage of gold, silver, copper, and iron money
* maintenance of the lists of artisans engaged in coinage-related activities
* regulation of activities in the manufacture of lacquer ware, weaving, and other kinds of industries

## History

The duties, responsibilities and focus of the ministry evolved over time. It was established as part of the Taika Reforms and Ritsuryō laws. Since 1885, Ōkura-shō has been construed in reference to the Ministry of Finance, also called the Ōkura no Tsukasa.

## Hierarchy

The court included a ministry dealing with military affairs.

Amongst the significant daijō-kan officials serving in this ministry structure were:

* Chief administrator of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵卿, Ōkura-kyō). This official supervises the receipt of tributes from the provinces and imposes tribute on others.
* Chief administrator of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵大輔, Ōkura-taifu)
* First assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵少輔, Ōkura-shō)
* Second assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵丞, Ōkura-no-jō), two positions
* Alternate assistant to the chief of the ministry of the treasury (大蔵録, Ōkura-no-sakan), two positions
* Collector of taxation from manufacturers and dyers (織部正, Oribe-no-kami)
* Assistant collector of taxation from manufacturers and dyers (織部佑, Oribe-no-jō)
* Alternate assistant collector of taxation from manufacturers and dyers (織部令史, Oribe-no-sakan)
