Imperial Palace

Japanese: 皇居 - こうきょ

It refers to the residence of the emperor. In ancient times, it was called Miya. Miya means Miya (house) and Miyaraka means Miaraka (place of residence). In the Kojiki, there is an account of Izumo no Okami appearing in a dream to Emperor Suinin and telling him to "remodel my palace to look like the emperor's palace," and of Emperor Yuryaku finding a house with a katsuogi (wooden pole) on its ridge, and being angry that it resembled the emperor's palace, he ordered the house to be burned down. From this, it seems that the emperor's palace and the shrine had a similar appearance with katsuogi on the ridge. House-shaped clay figurines with katsuogi are often excavated from the burial mounds where powerful clans were buried, and it seems that the residences of noble people had a different appearance from others and were easily identifiable. The place where the emperor lives is called Miya, and the place where the Miya is located is called Miyako because it originally meant Miyadokoro (place of the palace). Therefore, in the past, Miya and Miyako were often confused.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Ancient Palace

The palace buildings were built with pitted pillars, so the bases of the pillars were prone to rotting, and palaces were usually changed for only one generation, or several times in a single generation. One reason for the change in the palaces with each new generation may have been that the previous emperor disliked the place where he died. These ancient imperial palaces were thatched buildings, so the shingle-roofed palace of Empress Kogyoku, built in 642, was so rare that it was named Asuka Itabuki no Niimiya. The Nihon Shoki records that Soga no Iruka no Omi was executed by Prince Naka no Oe in the Daigokuden of Itabuki Palace, and so the palace was not only the residence of the emperor, but also served as the government office, the center of national politics, with the Daigokuden as its main hall. Regarding the relationship between residences and government offices, the Oharida Palace of Empress Suiko, built in 603, had a private space for the Imperial family centered around the Great Hall where the Emperor lived, to the south of which was the Great Gate, to the south of which was the garden where the office was built, and to the south of which was the South Gate. Foreign envoys were invited into this garden, and it was also the place where official ceremonies were held, and given that it had an office, it is assumed that it was also the place where national politics were conducted.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

The Imperial Court

After the Ritsuryo system was established, Fujiwara-kyo was planned as the first city in Japan, and the Imperial Palace was built in the north-central area, covering an area of about 1.1 kilometers from east to west and 1.6 kilometers from north to south, which is one-quarter of the area of the capital. In other words, this is Fujiwara Palace. The palace required such a large area because it included the Dairi, the residence of the emperor, Chodoin, the center of national politics, and all the central government offices. The palace was surrounded by a moat and a large wall. This large palace area surrounded by a large wall is the Miyagi Castle, and is also called the Daidairi. Therefore, in a broad sense, the Imperial Palace refers to the Daidairi, which includes the residence of the emperor and the government office where national politics are conducted, and in a narrow sense, it refers to the Dairi, the residence of the emperor. The palace system that began with the Fujiwara Palace was followed by the Heijo Palace and the Heian Palace, but the composition of the palace grounds and the layout of the buildings differed from palace to palace. At Heijo Palace, the Chodoin was located to the south of the Dairi, while at Heian Palace the Chodoin (Hasshoin) was built to the southwest of the Dairi.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Village palace

In 960 (Tentoku 4), the Heian Dairi burned down, and Reizei-in was used as the temporary imperial palace until it was rebuilt. In 976 (Teigen 1), the Dairi was also damaged, and Fujiwara Kanemichi's Horikawa Palace was used as the temporary imperial palace. During the Heian period, fires at the Dairi were frequent, and in each case, the residences of vassals in the capital were used as the temporary imperial palace. This was called a Sato Dairi. From the end of the Heian period, it became common for Sato Dairi to be used as the imperial palace, even if there was an Dairi, and especially after the Dairi burned down in 1227 (Ansetsu 1), the Dairi was not rebuilt and Sato Dairi was moved from one place to another. During the Northern and Southern Courts, when Emperor Kogon ascended to the throne at Tsuchimikado Higashinotoin Palace in 1331 (Genko 1), this palace was designated as the Dairi. This was the Tsuchimikado Imperial Palace, the predecessor of today's Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Tsuchimikado Imperial Palace was also burned down many times, and the current Kyoto Imperial Palace was rebuilt in 1855 (Ansei 2).

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Meiji Palace

In 1868 (Keio 4), Edo was renamed Tokyo, and the following year the old Edo Castle was designated as the Imperial Palace and named Miyagi, with its Nishinomaru as the residence of the Emperor. In 1873 (Meiji 6), Nishinomaru burned down, and Akasaka Imperial Palace became the temporary Imperial Palace for a time, but in 1879 it was decided to build a new palace in Nishinomaru, and the so-called Meiji Palace was completed in 1888. This Meiji Palace consisted of an area extending from the carriage entrance and hall to the Seiden, an area with the Ho-o Hall as a venue for audiences, and an area consisting of the East and West Gatherings and the Homeiden and Chigusa Hall for banquets, and was further connected to the Okumiya Palace, the residence of the Emperor. This Meiji Palace was burned down in an air raid during World War II in May 1945 (Showa 20).

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

New Palace

Construction of today's New Palace began the following year, in 1960, based on a recommendation made in 1959 (Showa 34) by the Imperial Palace Construction Council. The Emperor's residence was not to be connected to the New Palace as was the Meiji Palace, but built separately, and was constructed separately within Fukiage Gyoen. The residence is two stories high and made of reinforced concrete, with a total floor area of 1,358 square meters, and was completed in 1961. Construction of the New Palace, which is used for ceremonies and events, began in 1964 and was completed in 1968. The building is made of steel-reinforced concrete, has one basement floor and two floors above ground, and has a total floor area of 22,949 square meters. The new palace is made up of the following buildings: the Omote Gothronesho, where the emperor conducts government affairs; the Seiden, consisting of the Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Rooms, where ceremonies are held; the Toyomeiden banquet hall; the Shunju Room, for evening parties and receptions; and the Chowaden, which includes the Matsukaze and Ishibashi Rooms, a resting area. Each building of the new palace has a traditional Japanese exterior with gently sloping hip-and-gable roofs and deep eaves, and the buildings are connected by corridors and have a large courtyard. The interior also makes extensive use of domestic wood, and the Japanese style is emphasized by the extensive use of light-colored paper screens and sliding doors.

Within the Imperial Palace grounds, in addition to the New Palace and the Imperial Residence, the Imperial Household Agency building stands. The stone walls of the former Edo Castle tower remain in the former Honmaru, northeast of the former Nishinomaru, and to the east of that, the former Ninomaru and Sannomaru, have been developed into a garden, named the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. To the east of the remains of the tower is the Music Department, where the Tokagakudo Hall stands. To the west of the New Palace, across the Dokan Moat, is the Kashikodokoro, and to the west of that is the Imperial Biological Research Institute. Within the Imperial Palace, remnants of Edo Castle such as the Koraimon Gate, Watariyagura, Fushimi Tower, and Fujimi Tower remain, along with the Nijubashi Moat, Sakurada Moat, Hanzo Moat, Danbori Moat, Inui Moat, Hirakawa Moat, Ote Moat, Kikyo Moat, and Hamaguri Moat, and within the palace are the Tenjin Moat, Shiratori Moat, Hasuike Moat, and Dokan Moat, all of which retain the vestiges of the old Edo Castle. Parts of these have been designated as special historic sites as the remains of Edo Castle.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

"The Imperial Palace - Nature and Form, photographed by Yoichi Midorikawa (1981, Shueisha)" ▽ "The Imperial Palace, by Sukemasa Irie (Hoikusha, Color Books)"

[References] | Kyoto Imperial Palace | Daidairi | Dairi

Floor plan of the Imperial Palace
©Shogakukan ">

Floor plan of the Imperial Palace

Floor plan of the new Imperial Palace
©Shogakukan ">

Floor plan of the new Imperial Palace

Double Bridge
The main gate stone bridge. Together with the main gate iron bridge behind it, it is commonly known as the double bridge, but in reality, the double bridge refers only to the main gate iron bridge. In the background is the Fushimi Turret. Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo ©Yutaka Sakano ">

Double Bridge

Otemon Gate
The main gate of Edo Castle. It consists of the Koraimon Gate (front in the photo) and the Watariyaguramon Gate (right in the photo), which is located at a right angle from it. It is said to have been built by Date Masamune and others during the repairs to Edo Castle in 1620 (Genwa 6). It was burned down in the Great Meireki Fire in 1657 (Meireki 3) and rebuilt in 1659 (Manji 2). It was repaired several times after that, and took on its current appearance in 1967 (Showa 42). Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo ©Shogakukan ">

Otemon Gate

Hanzo Moat
The inner moat is located on the west side of the Imperial Palace, north of Hanzomon. In spring, the clusters of nanohana flowers bloom all at once on the bank, and in autumn, red spider lilies paint the bank red. The area around here, which continues from Chidorigafuchi, is also known as one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo. Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo ©Shogakukan ">

Hanzo Moat

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

天皇の住居をいう。古くは宮の名でよばれた。宮は御屋(みや)の意味で、御舎(みあらか)は御在所(みありか)の意味だという。『古事記』には、出雲大神(いずものおおかみ)が「わが宮を天皇の御舎のようにつくりかえよ」と、垂仁(すいにん)天皇の夢に現れて告げたとか、雄略(ゆうりゃく)天皇が河内(かわち)を展望したとき、堅魚木(かつおぎ)を棟に飾っている家をみつけて、天皇の御舎に似ていると怒り、その家を焼き払うように命じたという記事がある。このことから、天皇の宮殿と神殿とは堅魚木をともに棟にのせたよく似た外観をもったようである。大豪族を葬った古墳から堅魚木をもつ家形埴輪(はにわ)の出土することも多く、高貴の人々の住居は、他と異なった外観であって、容易に識別できたらしい。天皇の住むところが宮で、宮のある場所が都とよばれるのは、本来宮処(みやどころ)を意味したからだという。したがって、古くは宮と都とは混同されがちであった。

［工藤圭章］

古代の宮

宮の建物は掘立て柱の建物であったので、柱の根元が腐りやすく、宮は一代限り、あるいは一代に数度遷(うつ)り変わるのが常であった。代が変わって改められたのは、前の天皇の亡くなった場所を忌み嫌ったこともあったろう。これらの古代の皇居は、草葺(くさぶ)きの建物であったため、642年に建てられた皇極(こうぎょく)天皇の板葺きの宮は珍しさもあって飛鳥板蓋新宮(あすかいたぶきのにいみや)と命名されるほどであった。『日本書紀』には、この板蓋宮の大極殿(だいごくでん)で蘇我入鹿臣(そがのいるかのおみ)が中大兄皇子(なかのおおえのおうじ)に誅(ちゅう)されたことが記されているように、宮は天皇の居所であるとともに、大極殿を主殿とする国政の中枢である政庁をも兼ね備えていた。居所と政庁の関係については、すでに603年につくられた推古(すいこ)天皇の小墾田宮(おはりだのみや)で、天皇の居住する大殿を中心とした天皇家の私的な空間があり、その南に大門が開かれ、大門の南には庁が建てられている庭があり、そして庭の南に南門が開かれていた。この庭には外国の使臣が招き入れられ、公的な儀式の行われる場所でもあり、庁があることからしても国政の場所でもあったと想像される。

［工藤圭章］

大内裏

律令(りつりょう)制度が整って、わが国で初めての都市として計画された藤原京では、皇居はその中央北部に京の広さの4分の1にあたる東西約1.1キロメートル、南北約1.6キロメートルの面積を占めて造営されている。すなわち、これが藤原宮である。宮がこのように広い面積を要したのは天皇の居所である内裏(だいり)、国政の中枢である朝堂院(ちょうどういん)をはじめ、中央官衙(かんが)もすべて包括されたためである。宮の周囲には濠(ほり)と大垣が巡らされた。このように大垣に囲まれた広い宮域が宮城であり、また大内裏(だいだいり)という。したがって、広い意味での皇居とは天皇の居所と国政をとる政庁をも含めた大内裏を示し、狭い意味では天皇の居所の内裏を示す。藤原宮に始まる宮城の制度は平城宮、平安宮にも踏襲されるが、宮内の構成、殿舎の配置はそれぞれ宮ごとに差異がある。平城宮では内裏の南に朝堂院があるが、平安宮では内裏の南西に朝堂院（八省院）がつくられている。

［工藤圭章］

里内裏

960年（天徳4）平安内裏は焼失、再建されるまで冷泉院(れいぜんいん)を仮皇居とした。976年（貞元1）にも内裏が罹災(りさい)し、このときは藤原兼通(かねみち)の堀河殿を仮皇居としている。平安時代、内裏の火災はたびたびあり、そのつど京内の臣下の邸宅を仮皇居としている。これを里内裏(さとだいり)という。平安時代末期からは内裏があっても里内裏を皇居とすることが一般化し、とくに1227年（安貞1）大内裏が焼失してから内裏は再建されず、里内裏を転々とした。南北朝になって、光厳(こうごん)天皇が1331年（元弘1）に土御門(つちみかど)東洞院殿で即位してから、この殿が内裏に定められた。これが土御門内裏であり、今日の京都御所の前身になる。土御門内裏もたびたび焼失しており、いまの京都御所は1855年（安政2）に再建されている。

［工藤圭章］

明治宮殿

1868年（慶応4）江戸が東京と改称され、翌年皇居が旧江戸城に定められて宮城と命名され、その西の丸が天皇の居所となった。1873年（明治6）西の丸が炎上、一時、赤坂離宮が仮皇居となったが、1879年西の丸で新宮殿の造営が決定し、いわゆる明治宮殿が1888年に落成した。この明治宮殿は、御車寄・広間から正殿に至る一画と、謁見の場としての鳳凰(ほうおう)の間の一画、そして東西の溜(たま)りと饗宴(きょうえん)のための豊明殿(ほうめいでん)や千種(ちぐさ)の間からなる一画があり、さらにこれに天皇の御住居の奥宮殿が接続していた。この明治宮殿は1945年（昭和20）5月の第二次世界大戦中の空襲により焼失した。

［工藤圭章］

新宮殿

今日の新宮殿は1959年（昭和34）に皇居造営審議会の答申に基づいて、翌1960年から造営が始まる。明治宮殿のように天皇の御住居を新宮殿に接続せず、別々につくることになり、御住居は吹上御苑(ふきあげぎょえん)内に分離して建設された。御住居は鉄筋コンクリート造、2階建てで、延べ面積1358平方メートル、1961年に完成した。儀式や行事のための新宮殿は1964年に着工、1968年に竣工(しゅんこう)した。建物は鉄骨鉄筋コンクリート造、地下1階、地上2階建てで、延べ面積は2万2949平方メートルに及ぶ。新宮殿は天皇が政務をとる表御座所、儀式を行う松の間・竹の間・梅の間からなる正殿、饗宴場の豊明殿、夜会やレセプションのための春秋の間や休所(やすみどころ)の松風・石橋の間などのある長和殿の各棟からなる。新宮殿は各棟とも深い軒をもつ入母屋造(いりもやづくり)の緩い勾配(こうばい)の屋根など、伝統様式の和風を考慮した外観になり、各棟は回廊で連結され、広い中庭が設けられている。内部も国産の木材を豊富に用い、明障子(あかりしょうじ)や襖(ふすま)を多用して和風が強調されている。

　皇居内には新宮殿、御住居のほかに、宮内庁庁舎が建つ。旧西の丸の北東の旧本丸には江戸城天守跡の石垣が残り、その東の旧二の丸、旧三の丸とともに庭園として整備され、皇居東御苑と名づけられている。天守跡の東には楽部があり桃華楽堂が建つ。また新宮殿の西、道灌濠(どうかんぼり)を隔てて賢所(かしこどころ)があり、その西には生物学御研究所がある。皇居内には江戸城の遺構として高麗(こうらい)門や渡櫓(わたりやぐら)、伏見(ふしみ)櫓や富士見櫓も残り、また、二重橋濠(ぼり)、桜田濠、半蔵濠、段濠、乾(いぬい)濠、平河濠、大手濠、桔梗(ききょう)濠、蛤(はまぐり)濠が外周を巡り、内部には天神濠、白鳥濠、蓮池(はすいけ)濠、道灌濠もあって、旧江戸城のおもかげをとどめている。これらの一部は江戸城跡として特別史跡に指定されている。

［工藤圭章］

『緑川洋一撮影『皇居――自然と造形』（1981・集英社）』▽『入江相政著『皇居』（保育社・カラーブックス）』

[参照項目] | 京都御所 | 大内裏 | 内裏

皇居の平面図

皇居新宮殿の平面図

二重橋

大手門
江戸城の正門。高麗門（写真正面）と、そこから直角に位置する渡櫓門（写真右）からなる。1620年（元和6）の江戸城修築の際、伊達政宗らによって築かれたと伝えられる。1657年（明暦3）明暦の大火で類焼し、1659年（万治2）に再建。その後数度の修築を繰り返し、1967年（昭和42）に現在の姿となった。東京都千代田区©Shogakukan">

大手門

半蔵濠
皇居の西側、半蔵門の北にある内濠。春には土手にあるナノハナの群落がいっせいに花を開き、秋にはヒガンバナが土手を赤く染める。また千鳥ヶ淵から続くこのあたり一帯は、都内有数のサクラの名所としても知られている。東京都千代田区©Shogakukan">

半蔵濠

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

<<: Public - Koukyou

>>: Higher fatty acids - Higher fatty acids