A Walk at Kyoto Imperial Palace - 1

From Okurumayose to Shinmikurumayose

By Shozo Fujii

Community writer

Shinmikurumayose. This structure was built as a new carriage entrance on the occasion of the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor Taisho in 1915.

Kyoto Imperial Palace is open to the public twice a year. On the days of opening people are supposed to enter from Gishumon Gate.

Wonderful pine trees stand by Okurumayose.

The building was used as a waiting room for official visits to the palace of dignitaries. They were ushered into three different ante-rooms according to their rank.

the buildings attached to shodaibu-no-ma through Mikurumayose.

Shinmikurumayose is comparatively a new building.

Shinmikurumayose was built on the occasion of the enthronement ceremony of the Taisho Emperor in 1915.

Kyoto Imperial Palace is in the Kyoto Imperial Garden. In the year 794 the Emperor Kammu transferred the capital to Heian-kyo; the Emperor lived in the Dairi(imperial residence), which itself was located in the center of the Daidairi. When the Dairi was destroyed by fire, the emperor moved his private residences to temporary imperial residences at the palaces of other noble families in the capital, which came to be known as Satodairi. From the latter half of the Heian Period onwards, the original Dairi imperial residence gradually fell into disuse, while the Satodairi came to be the daily living quarters of the emperor. The present day Kyoto Imperial Palace developed from a Satodairi called the Tsuchi-Mikado-Higashi-no-Toin-Dono. Dignitaries with a special permission arriving here at Okurumayose by ox-drawn carriage used to enter the Palace through this entrance. Shinmikurumayose is the special entrance just for the Emperor and Empress.