In many cases Goryosho was actually controlled and run by local governors and was almost like a manor where Imperial Court and Shogunate took the place of honjo (the administrative headquarters of manor) or of Honke, the head family (the owner of the highest-graded patches of land under the stratified land ruling structure of Shoen) or of ryoke (virtual proprietor of manor.)
なお、実際には家臣などを代官として支配・経営させている場合も多く、実態としては朝廷や幕府を本所や本家あるいは領家とした荘園に近い形態であったとも考えられている。