Naijudokoro (Imperial Pages Office) (内豎所)
Naijudokoro was a government office of Ryoge no kan (official post outside of the Ritsuryo system) under the Japanese Ritsuryo system. Its duties were the supervision of Naiju (Imperial pages), who were engaged in the security and other miscellaneous jobs at the Imperial palace, and related administrative jobs.
Naiju was originally called Jushi. As the term "naigubu Jushi" is seen in "Shoku Nihongi" (Chronicle of Japan Continued) dated April 30, 757, the system of Jushi might have been introduced before then. Also, Jushidokoro existed as an office to supervise them (the time of its establishment is unknown).
When Jushi was renamed Naiju in 763, Jushidokoro was also renamed Naijudokoro. At that time, the Emperor Junnin and EMI no Oshikatsu were in power and it is considered that the above reform was implemented as a measure to strengthen their administration. Ironically, this policy was further strengthened by the Emperor Shotoku and YUGE no Dokyo who overthrew the former administration and Naijudokoro was upgraded to Naijusho (Ministry of Imperial Pages) in 767.
After the death of the Emperor Shotoku and the fall of Dokyo, however, Naiju system was abolished together with Naijusho and its jobs were allocated to various offices in 772. Later, Naiju system was restored after being scaled down and Naijuzoshi (Naiju Office) was established, but it was again abolished. Naijudokoro was reestablished in 811 and since then, Naiju were engaged various miscellaneous jobs, such as notifying a time to people inside the palace, under the supervision of Kurododokoro (Board of Archivists). According to "Engishiki" (an ancient book for codes and procedures on national rites and prayers), it was the government office that belonged to Chumusho (Ministry of Central Affairs).
Otodo (minister) ("Seikyuki" (exemplary book on Heian rituals)) or Sekkan (regents and advisers) ("Shokugensho" (history of government services)) were appointed to betto, the head of Naijudokoro (according to "Shoyuki" (the diary of FUJIWARA no Sanesuke), Sadaijin (Minister of the Left) Minamoto no Hikaru (courtier) was appointed to this post in 909 for the first time). In reality, however, this post was a honorable post and Konoe-jisho (vice Minister of the Imperial Guard) and Rokui-kanjin (government officials whose court rank was Sixth Rank) (Jibu shojo (Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Affairs) etc.) were appointed to the deputy and supervised officials and Naiju. In practice, either Governor of Ise Province or Mino Province was concurrently appointed to Kashira (prescribed number of personnel was one), a person who oversaw routine jobs. These two posts corresponded to the court rank of Shoshichiinoge (Senior Seventh Rank, Lower Grade) and Jushichiinojo (Junior Seventh Rank, Upper Grade) respectively. Although the court rank of persons who were actually appointed to these posts was higher than the above, the posts themselves were relatively low-ranking ones in the court. Under them, each one person was appointed to kanjindai (steward) (called shitsuji since 936), daisekikan (major inspector), daisekisoji (middle inspector) and besseki (minor inspector).