平安京の朱雀門（すざくもん）は、平安京大内裏の南面中央に位置する正門で、南門とも呼ばれました。平安京のメインストリートである朱雀大路の北端にあり、都城の正門である羅城門とを結ぶ大路でした。朱雀大路の東側を左京、西側を右京と呼んでいました。現在の京都千本通りはその旧跡です。朱雀門は、七間五戸の重層、入母屋造り、瓦ぶきで棟の両端に金色の鴟尾を置く造りでした。元日や外国使節の送迎の際に儀式が行われたほか、都の男女があつまって、恋の歌をかけあうのを天皇がみるというイベントもここでおこなわれていたようです。
The Suzaku Gate of Heian-kyo was the main gate located at the center of the southern face of the Heian Palace's inner precincts, also known as the Southern Gate. It was situated at the northern end of Suzaku Avenue, the main street of Heian-kyo, connecting it with Rajomon, the capital's main gate. The eastern side of Suzaku Avenue was called Sakyo, and the western side was called Ukyo. The current Senbon Street in Kyoto marks this historic site. Suzaku Gate was a seven-bay, five-door layered structure with a hip-and-gable roof, covered with tiles, and adorned with golden shibi (decorative ridge-end tiles) at both ends of the ridge. Ceremonies were held here on New Year's Day and to welcome foreign envoys, and there was also an event where the emperor would watch men and women of the capital gather and exchange love poems.
