The earliest (6th-12th century) Buddhist living quarters for priests' and monks. Arranged outside the sacred area containing the image hall and pagoda. The dormitory was sometimes called the east quarters *higashimuro 東室, the west quarters *nishimuro 西室, or the north quarters kitamuro 北室, depending upon their location in relation to the sacred buildings. When all three existed they were called *sanmen sōbō 三面僧房. A smaller type of dormitory was called *Tsumamuro 妻室. The only one extant is at Hōryūji Saiin 法隆寺西院. It was used by novices or other lowly monks who performed services for high ranking monks. The Nishimuro at Hōryūji is 19 x 5 bays deep in front and narrows to 4 bays at the back. It is single storied with a gable roof, *kirizuma yane 切妻屋根, covered with cypress bark shingles *hiwadabuki 桧皮葺. All these early dormitories were partitioned into small living quarters for each monk.