In the pre-military government era in Japan, the Imperial Court mechanism, which included the Emperor's direct rule, the government of regents and advisers, and the cloister government and were formed mainly with Imperial families and Court nobles, supported the nucleus of the administration, and thus provincial governors who had authorities of government official were sent all over Japan to rule the nation.
武家政権の誕生以前の日本は、天皇親政、摂関政治、院政など、主に皇族や公家から構成される朝廷機構の中枢から、官人身分の国司を全国に派遣して統治が行われていた。