Shusuishi (Water Office) (主水司)

Shusuishi (moitori no tsukasa) was one of the institutions belonging to Kunaisho (Ministry of the Sovereign's Household) in the Ritsuryo system (a system of centralized government based on the ritsuryo code).

Official duties

Shusuishi delivered water and ice, and made rice gruel. Especially ice was much-prized as a rarity in summer. For delivery Moitoribe was put as Kanjin Zonin (lower-ranking government official) and Moitoriko as Zoshiki (low-level functionary government official). And for transportation, kanjin shicho (a manservant doing odd jobs) belonged to this. Kushicho (general workers) was put in the field department of heavy labor and seems to have struggled very hard to transport ice. After medieval times the Kiyohara clan took a position of Kami (director) by succession and succeeded to attached land of Shusuishi.

Himuro (ice chamber)

Ice was produced in winter and thus, for keeping it until summer, himuro was built up. Himuro were put around Kinai region (provinces surrounding Kyoto and Nara) and azukari (an additional post to the chief of Naizenshi) was put in each himuro.

Personnel

Kami (corresponding to Jurokui [Junior Sixth Rank]) one member. Jo (secretary) (corresponding to Shohachiinoge [Senior Eighth Rank, Lower Grade]) one member. Reishi (corresponding to Shohatsuinoge [Lesser Initial Rank, Lower Grade]) one member. Kanjin Zonin, newly established. Shibu (low rank bureaucrats).
Moitoribe
Moitoriko. Kanjin shicho. Kushicho (general workers).

Himuro. Azukari.

[Original Japanese]