Shunkyoden Hall (春興殿)

Shunkyoden(Syunkoden) Hall was one of the 17 halls of the dairi (Imperial Palace) in the city of Heian-kyo. Situated to the southeast of Shishinden Hall (Throne Hall) and to the south of Nikka-mon Gate, this hall faced Anpukuden Hall in the west across a large garden. It was used to store weapons and armor. During the Kamakura period, the sacred mirror was housed in this hall and it became the Naishidokoro (or Kashikodokoro; place where sacred mirror is enshrined).

The central area of the hall measured 3.6m east-west by 12.6m north-south, the kitabisashi (northern outer area) measured 3.6m east-west by 1.8m north-south, the higashibisashi (eastern outer area) measured 1.8m east-west by 14.4m north-south, and the eastern magohisashi (a narrow additional aisle) measured 1.8m east-west by 10.8m north-south. The 1.8m portion on the south side of the last 1.8 x 10.8m room and the southernmost 3.6m portion on the east side of the same room were surrounded by a wall. In the center of the south side of the main part of this hall was an outer area that is thought to have measured 1.8 square meters. There were doorways on the west and north faces of the central area as well as a doorway on the south face used to access the secondary room. A tsuchibisashi (a pent roof with its under-structure exposed that extends above a hard-packed earthen floor) was located in front of each of these.

It is said that the Naishidokoro located to the north of Nikka-mon Gate was moved here when Shunkyoden Hall was used as a satodairi (a temporary palace),

A hall with the same name exists in the present Kyoto Imperial Palace. However, its location is different from that of Shunkyoden Hall in the Heian period.

[Original Japanese]