A Carved Gate of 1914
The Senkyoji Temple Main Gate (専教寺山門) is a temple gate of 1914 in Funaki, Takamiyacho, Akitakata City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The temple name is also romanized Senkyō-ji.
The Agency records a timber gate with a tiled roof, 3.9 metres across, with flanking walls on both sides; registration number 34-0263.
A Four-Legged Gate Facing the Main Hall
The Senkyoji Temple Main Gate is a Shikyakumon, a four-legged gate, standing directly in front of the main hall and facing west (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It has a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof of pantiles; the two main posts on the centre line are round, the four supporting posts front and back are square, and decorated Kōryō tie beams span between them.
The eaves have two tiers of closely spaced rafters. In each gable, a Taiheizuka strut with Oigata scrollwork rises above the beam, and a turnip-shaped gable pendant hangs from the bargeboards (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Walls extend from both sides, so the 3.9-metre gate reads as part of a continuous front.
Why It Was Registered
The Senkyoji Temple Main Gate was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency sees it as the building that gives the temple grounds their formal front.
What to Look For
What sets the Senkyoji main gate apart is the amount of carving. The tie beams bear the kikusui motif of a chrysanthemum on flowing water, the beam-end Kibana are carved as Chinese lions, elephants and baku, and the gable struts are decorated with figures that include crouching demons (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Compare the animal heads on the front and back and on each side. In Japanese temple carving the baku, a mythical dream-eater, is often given a trunk like an elephant, so the ears and tusks are the easiest way to tell them apart. The gable struts sit high, so step back from the gate to see them.
Visiting
The Senkyoji main gate stands on the west side of the grounds, forming the temple front. No official information was found on access to the grounds or on photography; please be considerate of temple activities when visiting. Directions are on the Senkyoji Temple page.
Q&A
- When was the Senkyoji Temple Main Gate built?
- In 1914 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What type of gate is the Senkyoji Temple Main Gate?
- A four-legged gate with a gabled tile roof, 3.9 metres across, with walls on both sides (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What carvings are on the Senkyoji Temple Main Gate?
- Chrysanthemum-on-water motifs on the tie beams, lions, elephants and baku on the beam ends, and demon figures among the gable decoration (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Senkyoji Temple Main Gate?
- In the grounds of Senkyoji in Funaki, Takamiyacho, Akitakata City, facing west in front of the main hall.
- When was the Senkyoji Temple Main Gate registered?
- On December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Senkyoji Temple Main Gate (専教寺山門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1506-1 Higashifukuda, Funaki, Takamiyacho, Akitakata City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/12/05 (Reiwa 1) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, 3.9 m wide, with walls on both sides |
| Owner | Senkyoji Temple (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | No official information on access to the grounds |
References
- Senkyoji Temple Main Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013190
- Senkyoji Temple Main Gate (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/380304
- Senkyoji Temple: Main Hall, Ossuary and Main Gate (Akitakata City, Japanese)
- https://www.akitakata.jp/ja/shisei/section/kyouiku/shisekibunkazai/cultural_asset/w154/
Last verified: 2026.11.09
