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Another significant set of two fires took place in [[1863]], destroying the ''nishi-no-maru'', ''honmaru'', and ''ni-no-maru'' portions of the compound. The shogunate never replaced the ''honmaru'', which had up until then been the chief structure in the compound, housing the chief audience halls and administrative offices and meeting rooms, as well as the [[Ooku|Ôoku]]. Instead, for the final years of the [[Bakumatsu period]], the shogunate operated out of temporary structures hastily thrown up in the ''nishi-no-maru''.<ref name=fujitani40/>

Another significant set of two fires took place in [[1863]], destroying the ''nishi-no-maru'', ''honmaru'', and ''ni-no-maru'' portions of the compound. The shogunate never replaced the ''honmaru'', which had up until then been the chief structure in the compound, housing the chief audience halls and administrative offices and meeting rooms, as well as the [[Ooku|Ôoku]]. Instead, for the final years of the [[Bakumatsu period]], the shogunate operated out of temporary structures hastily thrown up in the ''nishi-no-maru''.<ref name=fujitani40/>

The [[Meiji Emperor]] took up residence in these temporary ''nishi-no-maru'' structures beginning on [[1869]]/3/28. By that time, the castle had already been renamed "imperial residence" (''kôkyo''), the most standard term used to refer to the Palace today as well; however, [[Fukuoka Takachika]], among other prominent members of the Court at that time, argue that as it was not designated ''kyûjô'' (宮城), it was not yet ''the'' (permanent/primary) Imperial Palace, but was only an ''[[anzaisho]]'', a temporary palace secondary to [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|that in Kyoto]], until the newly-built Palace was designated ''kyûjô'' in [[1889]].<ref>Fujitani, 36-37.</ref>

The [[Meiji Emperor]] took up residence in these temporary ''nishi-no-maru'' structures beginning on [[1869]]/3/28. By that time, the castle had already been renamed "imperial residence" (''kôkyo''), the most standard term used to refer to the Palace today as well; however, [[Fukuoka Takachika]], among other prominent members of the Court at that time, argue that as it was not designated ''kyûjô'' (宮城), it was not yet ''the'' (permanent/primary) Imperial Palace, but was only an ''[[anzaisho]]'', a temporary palace secondary to [[Kyoto Imperial Palace|that in Kyoto]], until the newly-built Palace was designated ''kyûjô'' in [[1889]].<ref>Fujitani, 36-37.</ref>

The government put in place plans as early as 1868 to begin (re)construction in the ''honmaru'', but before any work was done, the castle burnt down again in [[1873]], and the Meiji Emperor, his Empress, and the [[Imperial Household Ministry]] relocated to the [[Akasaka Temporary Palace]] until 1889, when the castle's reconstruction as the Tokyo Imperial Palace was complete.<ref>Fujitani, 40, 66-67.</ref> In the intervening time before reconstruction began, the area in and around the castle grounds became overgrown with vegetation, and overrun with wildlife including foxes and badgers. One former retainer of [[Satsuma han]] lamented that it was "unbearable to look at."<ref>Fujitani, 41.</ref>

The government put in place plans as early as 1868 to begin (re)construction in the ''honmaru''. However, before work on that had begun, a fire broke out in the Momijiyama area of the castle grounds in the early morning hours of [[1873]]/5/3 and quickly spread, destroying much of the palace in only about three hours, including offices employed by the [[Imperial Household Ministry]] and Grand Council of State (''[[Dajokan|Dajôkan]]''). The Meiji Emperor, his Empress, and the [[Imperial Household Ministry]], along with the [[Imperial regalia]] and the spirits of the Imperial ancestors, all escaped harm and relocated later that same day to the [[Kishu Tokugawa Edo mansion|mansion]] of the [[Kishu Tokugawa clan|Kishû Tokugawa clan]], which was then dubbed the Akasaka Temporary Palace. The Imperial family remained there until 1889, when the castle's reconstruction as the Tokyo Imperial Palace was complete.<ref>Fujitani, 40, 66-67.</ref> In the intervening time before reconstruction began, the area in and around the castle grounds became overgrown with vegetation, and overrun with wildlife including foxes and badgers. One former retainer of [[Satsuma han]] lamented that it was "unbearable to look at."<ref>Fujitani, 41.</ref>

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