Officers who were at the Fourth or the Fifth Rank and had many years of career were selected from the hassho (literally, "eight ministries," which is a general term for Ministry of Central Affairs, Ministry of Ceremonial, Ministry of Civil Administration, Ministry of Popular Affairs, Ministry of Military, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of the Treasury, and Ministry of Imperial Household) and other agencies and appointed as associate chamberlains.
次侍従は四、五位で長年の勤務実績がある者が、八省、その他の役所から選抜され任命された。