menzō 眠蔵

Also mendō 眠堂. Sleeping quarters for the head priest behind the main room at a subsidiary Zen temple *tatchū 塔頭. It also served for drinking tea and sometimes for storing scrolls. It is considered to embody the style of monks' private, inner living quarters, uchihōjō 内方丈. A central, back room was often used for the menzō, which was usually about two bays by three bays. Later, there was a trend to remove the front area and use the room to house a Buddhist altar.