The was the main gate built in the center of the south end of the imperial palaces in the Japanese ancient capitals of
Fujiwara-kyō (
Kashihara),
Heijō-kyō (
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...
), and later
Heian-kyō
Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180.
Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mo ...
(
Kyoto). The placement followed the ancient Chinese palace model requirements at the time, where , the
Vermilion Bird was the Guardian of the South. (''See
Four Symbols
The Four Symbols (, literally meaning "four images"), are four mythological creatures appearing among the Chinese constellations along the ecliptic, and viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions. These four creatures are also refe ...
for more.'')
It was said to be the site where foreign dignitaries were received by the Emperor. All of them were destroyed centuries ago along with the old imperial residences.
Nara Suzakumon
In 1993, it was decided that the gate of Nara would be reconstructed. It proved extremely difficult to work out what Suzakumon had looked like, as there were no surviving structural remnants. A conjectural model was developed, based on comparable architecture elsewhere, and the new gate was constructed from a mixture of traditional building materials (
cypress wood and tiles) and concrete, in order to resist earthquakes. The reconstructed gate was opened in 1998.
Most of the gate was constructed by the
Takenaka Corporation.
See also
*
Heijō Palace
was the imperial residence in the Japanese capital city Heijō-kyō (today's Nara), during most of the Nara period. The palace, which served as the imperial residence and the administrative centre of for most of the Nara period from 710 to 794 ...
*
Rashōmon in Kyoto
References
External links
Nara Palace Site Museum{{Japan-struct-stub
Gates in Japan
Buildings and structures in Nara Prefecture