The chokushiden is the place where an envoy, chokushi 勅使, stays when he is sent to a shrine to offer oblations to the gods on behalf of the Emperor. The chokushiden at Nangū Jinja 南宮神社 (1642) in Gifu Prefecture, is 3 × 4 bays with steps leading to the main entrance. Sliding doors are placed in each side bay, but the middle bay is open. This 3 × 1 area is called the *gomadō 護摩堂. Opposite the open entrance to the gomadō is a center entrance with double doors opening into the chokushiden which is 3 × 3 bays. Another entrance is in the center bay on the right side when facing the gomadō. A veranda surrounds the building. Sometimes the *shinpukuden 神服殿, a room normally used for making summer and winter clothing for the gods, is used as quarters for the envoy's stay.
Example: the two side by side room sat Kamo Mioya Jinja 賀茂御祖神社 (1863) in Kyoto, each of which are three bays wide and two bays deep with gabled roofs *kirizuma-zukuri 切妻造, covered with cypress bark *hiwadabuki 桧皮葺. These characteristics do not reflect a set arrangement for such buildings. On the contrary, there is considerable variation in size and treatment of shrine buildings.
