五門　[ごもん]　Gomon (five gates); the outermost of the palace gates and its forward line of defense. The public government offices of the Outer Palace are accessible between the Gomon and the Chimon or Pheasant Gate (雉門). The analog to the Gomon in the Forbidden City is the Meridian Gate, with its five arches or accessways. The Forbidden Gate, in contrast, is the forward line of defense to the Inner Palace.

The final character in Gogoukanda (呉剛環蛇) is "snake," hence Rokuta saying that he held onto its "tail."

Youko first encounters one of these enchanted staircases in chapter 57 of Shadow of the Moon.

清香殿　[せいこうでん]　Seikou Manor (refreshing scent)
蘭雪堂　[らんせつどう]　Ransetsu Hall (orchid snow)
弧琴斎　[こきんさい] 　Kokinsai (box + koto + room)
什鈷　[じゅうこ]　Juuko (ten cobalt)
饕餮　[とうてつ]　toutetsu (ravenous + voracious); first described in chapter 18.

Labels: 12 kingdoms, shore in twilight