Seiryoden (清涼殿)
Seiryoden is one of the royal halls in the Inner Palace in Heian-kyo (the ancient capital of Japan in current Kyoto). West of Jijuden (literally, "hall of benevolence and longevity," which is the Emperor's residence), East of Koryoden Hall.
While the Shishinden Hall was used for public ceremonies, the Seiryoden was used by the Emperor for daily life. However in the early Heian period the Jijuden and Joneiden were used however from the middle of the Heian period the Seiryoden became the primary palace of the Emperor. Apart from everyday affairs of State, rituals such as the Shihohai (a Shinto ceremony held on New Year's Day in which the Emperor pays respect to the deities in all quarters), Joi (the conferment of a court rank) and Jimoku (ceremony for appointing officials) were done here.
The scale of the building is nine rooms and four sides (main housing has five rooms in the core north to south, two east to west, and hisashi (aisle room) on all sides and magohisashi (a narrow additional aisle room) on the east). The roof is irimoya-zukuri style (building with a half-hipped roof) with hiwadabuki (cypress bark roof). The front faces the east and to the north of the eastern garden is the Kuretake no dai (Wu Chinese bamboo) and to the south is the Kawatake no dai (Han Chinese bamboo).
An emperor mainly occupied Hi-no-omashi (the daytime living area for shutsugyo (emperor's arrival (at his office, and so on)) and Yoru-no-otodo (emperor's sleeping quarters with nurigome (room surrounded with thick walls)) and to the north of this was the Kokiden-no-ue-no-mitsubone (room for dignified lady-in-waiting of Kokiden (one of the royal halls)) and the Higyosha-no-ue-no-mitsubone (room for dignified lady-in-waiting of Higyosha (one of the royal halls)) (both rooms for waiting on an empress). On the western hisashi in order from the north was the Oyudono-no-ue room (where food was prepared for an emperor), Ochozu-no-ma room (where an emperor had his hair cut), Asagarei-no-ma room (where an emperor ate breakfast), Daibandokoro (where the meal tray was placed), and Oni-no-ma (for placing miniature shrines, and so on). Furthermore the Tenjo-no-ma in Minami-bisashi (the southern aisle room) was a place where the noble people and 'tenjobito' (a high-ranking courtier allowed into the Imperial Palace) waited on an emperor.