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| Beyond the Seiden lay a series of nine or so rooms/buildings which constituted the Ouchibara, the private residential areas of the palace. It housed the king and his immediate family, as well as roughly one hundred court ladies; the king and other members of the royal family were the only men permitted in this portion of the palace. Women used the Shukujunmon or the Nakamon attached to the kitchens (Yuinchi, 寄満) to come in and out of the ''ouchibara''.<ref name=plaques/> | | Beyond the Seiden lay a series of nine or so rooms/buildings which constituted the Ouchibara, the private residential areas of the palace. It housed the king and his immediate family, as well as roughly one hundred court ladies; the king and other members of the royal family were the only men permitted in this portion of the palace. Women used the Shukujunmon or the Nakamon attached to the kitchens (Yuinchi, 寄満) to come in and out of the ''ouchibara''.<ref name=plaques/> |
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− | Four of the buildings which constituted the ''Ouchibara'' were organized around an open space directly behind the Seiden, known as the ''Kushi-nu-unaa'', or "rear garden" (後之御庭). These included the Yosoeden (世添殿), West Storehouse (''Nishi-no-tôgura'', 西之当蔵), and court ladies' sleeping quarters (''nyokan kyoshitsu'', 女官居室).<ref name=plaques/> | + | Four of the buildings which constituted the ''Ouchibara'' were organized around an open space directly behind the Seiden, known as the ''Kushi-nu-unaa'', or "rear garden" (後之御庭). These included the Yosoeden (世添殿), West Storehouse (''Nishi-no-tôgura'', 西之当蔵), and court ladies' sleeping quarters (''nyokan kyoshitsu'', 女官居室).<ref name=plaques/> The Yosoeden was the chief residence of the queen, and the center of administration of the Ouchibara. |
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− | To the south of the Yosoeden, a door called the Saekimon (左掖門) or Kurashin-ujo (暗シン御門), located on the southern end of the Seiden, led from the Seiden into the Kugani-udun (黄金御殿), a two-story area containing living rooms and bedrooms for the king, queen, and queen mother. Behind this (to the east) was a long narrow area known as the Yuinchi, which contained kitchens where chefs and female servants prepared food for the court. Today, these two areas have been reconstructed, with the Kugani-udun hosting an exhibit space, and the Yuinchi serving as vital storage space.<ref name=plaques/> | + | To the south of the Yosoeden, a door called the Saekimon (左掖門) or Kurashin-ujo (暗シン御門), located on the southern end of the Seiden, led from the Seiden into the Kugani-udun (黄金御殿), a two-story area containing living rooms and bedrooms for the king, queen, and queen mother. Behind this (to the east) was a long narrow area known as the Yuinchi, which contained kitchens where chefs and female servants prepared food for the court. Today, these two areas have been reconstructed, with the Kugani-udun hosting an exhibit space, and the Yuinchi serving as vital storage space.<ref name=plaques/> Another section of this same wing of the palace, a two-story section containing further living rooms, was known as the Nikai-den (二階殿); it connected into a small garden. |
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− | Deeper into the palace, to the east beyond the rear garden, were additional buildings such as the Yohokoriden (世誇殿) and Kanegura (金蔵); in the deepest portion of the palace, beyond the Hakuginmon gate, lay the royal bedroom (''shinbyôden'', 寝廟殿), and a viewing tower known as the Higashi-no-azana.<ref name=plaques/> | + | Deeper into the palace, to the east beyond the rear garden, were additional buildings such as the Yohokoriden (世誇殿) and Kanegura (金蔵); in the deepest portion of the palace, beyond the Hakuginmon gate, lay a space known as the ''shinbyôden'' (寝廟殿), and a viewing tower known as the Higashi-no-azana.<ref name=plaques/> The Yohokoriden was the chief residence of royal princesses, but on the occasion of a king's death, the Crown Prince's accession ceremonies were held here. Meanwhile, the king's body would be carried into the ''shinbyôden'' via the ''hakuginmon'' ("Silver Gate," 白銀門), and would be laid there in state for a period. |
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| ==References== | | ==References== |