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At times, the storehouse went unopened for decades or even over a century; when it was opened in [[1833]], it had been 140 years since it had last been opened. In addition to heavy metal locks holding the doors closed, those locks in turn are ceremonially sealed with ropes and paper inscribed with imperial orders; the storehouse could not be opened except by imperial order.<ref name=tnmexhibit>Gallery labels, Shôsôin exhibition, Tokyo National Museum, November 2019.</ref>
At times, the storehouse went unopened for decades or even over a century; when it was opened in [[1833]], it had been 140 years since it had last been opened. In addition to heavy metal locks holding the doors closed, those locks in turn are ceremonially sealed with ropes and paper inscribed with imperial orders; the storehouse could not be opened except by imperial order.<ref name=tnmexhibit>Gallery labels, Shôsôin exhibition, Tokyo National Museum, November 2019.</ref>
A notable four-month survey of the contents of the storehouse was conducted by the antiquarian [[Ninagawa Noritane]] ([[1835]]-[[1882]]), painter [[Takahashi Yuichi]] ([[1826]]-[[1896]]), Museum Bureau official [[Uchida Masao]], and photographer [[Yokoyama Matsusaburo|Yokoyama Matsusaburô]] ([[1838]]-[[1884]]) in [[1872]]. This was done as part of a larger survey of sites and objects of national heritage significance in [[Ise]], [[Nagoya]], [[Nara]], and [[Kyoto]]. An exhibition was later held at the [[Tokyo National Museum]] featuring results of this survey.<ref>Jennifer Harris, "'Odd and Bizarre': The Export of Japanese Aesthetics to Nineteenth-Century Australia," in Harris and Tets Kimura (eds.), ''Exporting Japanese Aesthetics'', Brighton: Sussex Academic Press (2020), 57n16.</ref>
Though associated directly with Tôdai-ji for over a millennium, the storehouse was placed under the authority of the [[Ministry of the Interior]] (''Naimushô'') in [[1875]], and in [[1884]] under that of the [[Imperial Household Ministry]]. The Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichô'') continues to oversee the site and its collection today.
Though associated directly with Tôdai-ji for over a millennium, the storehouse was placed under the authority of the [[Ministry of the Interior]] (''Naimushô'') in [[1875]], and in [[1884]] under that of the [[Imperial Household Ministry]]. The Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichô'') continues to oversee the site and its collection today.