The Second Gate, Higher Up the Steps
Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii (神明社両部鳥居, Shinmeisha Ryōbu Torii) is a timber gateway of the ryobu type on the approach to Yoshizawa Shinmei Shrine in Yoshizawa, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 12 July 2005. It stands farther up the stone stairway than the Inari torii and is the second gate a visitor passes on the climb.
Its date is disputed. The national database places it in the early Showa period. Yurihonjo City's leaflet and the shrine's own chronology, on the other hand, record a Ryobu torii erected in 1842 and say that, although much repaired, it remains well proportioned and keeps its old appearance. That year was the one after the fire of 1841 that destroyed the shrine buildings.
Read together, the two accounts could describe a gate raised in 1842, repaired many times and then substantially reworked or replaced in the early Showa period. Published sources do not settle the question, so both dates are given here.
How a Ryobu Torii Is Built
Up to the top of its pillars, the Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii follows the same scheme as the Inari torii below: a curved upper lintel (kasagi) with a second beam (shimaki) beneath, and a daiwa collar where each pillar meets them. What makes it a ryobu torii is the pair of shorter auxiliary posts set in front of and behind each main pillar and tied to it. Each main pillar is braced by two more, so from the front or the side the gate stands with its feet planted wide. The name is usually traced to Ryōbu Shintō, a school that joined Shinto and esoteric Buddhism.
The national database gives a height of 4.0 m and a width of 2.7 m; the description gives about 4 m overall and 2.7 m between pillars. The main pillars, 2.4 m tall, lean inward by 15 cm, the same Uchikorobi effect seen on the stone gate below.
A small roof of sheet iron sits on top of the upper lintel, a practical measure that covers the timber from above.
Until 1873 the shrine also housed a Buddhist triad, so kami and buddhas were honoured together here. A ryobu torii at its entrance sits comfortably with that history, though no source explains why this form was chosen. It was registered as contributing to the historic landscape.
Seeing the Ryobu Torii
Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii is part of the approach and every visitor passes under it; no arrangements are needed.
The auxiliary posts make most sense from an oblique angle rather than head on: look for a spot where the front and rear posts and the tie beams joining them to the main pillar overlap. A short way back down stands the stone Inari torii, so the two gates, stone and timber, one form against another, can be compared on the same walk.
The steps are long and can be slippery after rain and in snow. No official guidance on photography could be found. Directions and general visiting conditions are on the Yoshizawa Shinmei Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii built?
- Sources differ. The national database dates it to the early Showa period, while Yurihonjo City's leaflet and the shrine's chronology record its erection in 1842 and note extensive later repairs.
- When was Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii registered?
- It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 12 July 2005 (registration number 05-0122).
- How large is Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii?
- The national database gives a height of 4.0 m and a width of 2.7 m. The main pillars are 2.4 m tall with an inward lean of 15 cm.
- What is a ryobu torii, as seen at Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii in Yurihonjo?
- A torii in which each main pillar is braced by auxiliary posts in front and behind. This timber example also has curved lintels, daiwa collars and a sheet-iron roof over the upper lintel.
- Where is Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii on the approach?
- Farther up the stone steps from the Inari torii; it is the second gate a visitor passes before reaching the shrine buildings.
Basic Information
| Name | Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii (神明社両部鳥居, Shinmeisha Ryōbu Torii) |
|---|---|
| Location | 42 Kamibayashi, Yoshizawa, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 05-0122; criterion: contributing to the historic landscape |
| Year Designated | Registered 2005/07/12 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 gate |
| Dimensions | Timber; height 4.0 m, width 2.7 m; pillar height 2.4 m, inward lean 15 cm; sheet-iron roof over the upper lintel |
| Owner | Shinmeisha (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | On the approach; open at all times |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Agency for Cultural Affairs / Shinmei Shrine Ryobu Torii
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004693
- Yurihonjo City official website / Shinmeisha (Registered Tangible Cultural Properties)
- https://www.city.yurihonjo.lg.jp/1001503/1002098/1002113/1002126/1003556.html
- Yurihonjo City / leaflet on Shinmeisha (PDF, Japanese)
- https://www.city.yurihonjo.lg.jp/_res/projects/default_project/_page_/001/003/556/1003556_001.pdf
- Akita Prefectural Association of Shinto Shrines / Shinmeisha, Yoshizawa
- https://akita-jinjacho.sakura.ne.jp/shrine_search/%e7%a5%9e%e6%98%8e%e7%a4%be-44/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
