The seal system during the Nara period was transferred from China and it was the national authority to make seals, and the national permission was required when seals were made for private individuals.
奈良時代の印章の制度は中国のそれを受け継いだもので、印を作るのは国家の特権とされ、私人が印を作るに際しては国家の許可が必要であった。