Board of Ceremonies

The Board of Ceremonies (式部職 Shikibu-shoku) is a department of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. The board is the chief administration charged with ceremonial matters.

The history dates back to the Asuka period of the 8th century under the Taihō Code, when the Ministry of Ceremonial Affairs (式部省, Shikibu-shō) was formed. This stayed in existence until the reforms of the Meiji era in 1871, when the ministry was replaced with the Board of Ceremonies (式部局 Shikibu-kyoku), which was soon renamed Bureau of Ceremonies (式部寮, Shikibu-ryō) in 1872. The Ministry of Shinto Affairs was abolished, with the bulk of duties moved to the Kyōbu-shō (教部省 "Department (Ministry) of Religion and Education") and the administration of formal ceremonial functions transferred to the Bureau of the Ceremonies. The Bureau of the Ceremonies was initially under the administration of the Great Council of State (太政官 Dajō-kan), but was transferred to the control of the Imperial Household Ministry in September 1877. The Bureau underwent the current name (式部職 Shikibu-shōku) change in October 1884.

The board is headed by the Grand Master of Ceremonies (Shikibu-kanchō (式部官長)). However, the post has historically gone under the name Shikibu no kami (式部頭).

The Grand Master is assisted by two Vice-Grand Masters of Ceremonies (式部副長, Shikibu fukuchō). One of them has "purview over ceremonial matters" (儀式総括, gishiki sōkatsu), while the other has "purview over foreign related matters" (外事総括, gaiji sōkatsu).

The first Vice-Grand Master has subordinate "officials of ceremonies" (式官, shikikan) underneath him, variously charged with ceremonial rites, music, and hunting parties at the duck netting preserves (, kamoba).

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