Shichidengosha (palace buildings for empresses) (七殿五舎)
Shichidengosha refers to the palace buildings located behind Shishinden (The Throne Hall) and Jijuden (literally, hall of benevolence and longevity) in the dairi (inner palace grounds) of the Heian Palace, which were mainly used as the residence of the empresses of the emperors. These were collectively called kokyu, and the buildings were often granted to those members other than the empress, including the togu (crown prince), his wives, the imperial princes and the imperial princesses.
Shichiden comprises as follows:
Shokyoden
Kokiden
Tokaden
Joganden
Senyoden
Reikeiden
Joneiden
Gosha comprises as follows:
Higyosha (Fujitsubo)
Gyokasha (Umetsubo)
Shuhosha (Kannari no tsubo)
Shoyosha (Nashitsubo)
Shigeisha (Kiritsubo)
The Shichiden buildings had a shichiken shimen structure (the main building with the lengths of shichiken [approx. 12.73 m] in an east-west direction by niken [approx. 3.64 m] in a north-south direction, surrounded by eaves in all directions), and gosha buildings had a goken shimen structure (the main building of goken [approx. 9.09 m] in an east-west direction by niken in a north-south direction, surrounded by eaves in all directions), among which Shoyosha and Shigeisha are provided with a hokusha (north annex) of goken nimen structure.
Shichiden buildings have existed since the dairi was built, and considered higher in rank than gosha.