Dairimon 内裏門

Keywords
Architecture
Gates

A general term for gates belonging to the Imperial Palace, Kyoto Gosho 京都御所. The *Shōmei 匠明, written in the Edo period, cites the following gates as official Imperial Palace gates: *Nikkamon 日華門 (sun flower gate), *Shikyakumon 四脚門 (a four-legged gate), made with circular pillars and located east of the Shishinden 紫宸殿; *Gekkamon 月華門 (moon flower gate), with the same construction as the Nikkamon but located on the west side of the Shishinden; Saekimon 左掖門, located on the left side of the Nikkamon to the south; Uekimon 右掖門 on the right side of the Gekkamon to the south; Nanmenmon 南面門 (south-facing gate), a 4-legged gate located in front of the Shishinden; Miyukimon 御幸門 (visiting or attending emperor's gate), also called Onarimon 御成門, located to the west of the Shishinden. This is a 4-legged gate with an undulating bargeboard *karahafu 唐破風, on the west side and on the gable ends, embellished with various carvings.