An image processing apparatus includes a first memory, a reception unit, a storage controller, and an image processing executing unit. The first memory temporarily stores data and the data reading and writing speed of the first memory is higher than that of a second memory. The reception unit receives instruction data indicating the content of image processing that is directed. The storage controller stores the received instruction data in the first memory if an attribute of the received instruction data meets a predetermined condition and, otherwise, stores the received instruction data in the second memory. The image processing executing unit executes the image processing indicated by the stored instruction data.