The Oldest Building at Shorinbo
The Shorinbo Main Gate (照林坊山門, Shōrinbō Sanmon) is a four-legged gate of 1665 standing in front of the main hall of Shorinbo in Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 25 July 2011.
It is the entrance to the temple grounds: step through and the east-facing main hall rises directly ahead. The opening is 3.3 metres wide, the structure is timber and the roof is clad in copper. It was repaired in the mid Showa period.
Its date of 1665 (Kanbun 5) makes the Shorinbo Main Gate the oldest of the eight buildings registered at Shorinbo, 187 years older than the present main hall of 1852. While the buildings behind it were rebuilt and added to, the gate has kept welcoming visitors from the same spot.
Why It Was Registered
The gate was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. As the temple's street front, it is the face Shorinbo shows to the old town of Miyoshi-machi.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to the carving. The kurikata, the curved profiles cut into the ends of the timbers, are intricate, and the eyo, the scrolls and leaf patterns incised on their faces, are fine and painstaking. A modest gate of the later seventeenth century, it was finished with a level of care usually reserved for grander work.
That care extends to the overall design. A plain four-legged gate would have sufficed; this one adds cusped gables at the eaves and closely packed bracketing, both marks of higher rank. It is a small structure with dense detail.
What to Look At
The four-legged frame
A Shikyakumon, or four-legged gate, has two main posts carrying the doors, braced front and back by four smaller posts. The Shorinbo Main Gate follows this form, with a pair of plank doors hung between the main posts.
Gable roof and cusped eaves
The roof is a simple gable in copper, with a Noki-karahafu at the front and back eaves: a section of the eave lifted into a soft bow-shaped curve. The gate presents the same face whether you approach from the street or leave from the courtyard.
Bracketing, packed close
The eaves rest on demi-stepped brackets backed by curved boards (Shirin). On the front and back, bracket sets are placed between the posts as well as on top of them, the closely spaced arrangement called Tsumegumi, so the space under the eaves is filled with woodwork. The rafters are doubled in two tiers.
Gable tie-beam and coffered ceiling
In each side gable a curved tie-beam (Kōryō) carries a swelling, vase-shaped strut (Taiheizuka), a classic gable ornament. Stand under the gate and look up: the ceiling is a coffered grid (Gō-tenjō).
Visiting
Because it stands at the entrance, the exterior of the Shorinbo Main Gate can be seen from both the street and the grounds. The cusped eaves and packed bracketing read best from directly in front; walk to the side to see the tie-beam and strut in the gable, and step underneath for the coffered ceiling.
Gate opening hours are not published, and as of October 2026 we found no announcement of them. Outside the day and during services, admire the gate quietly from the street.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hiroshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Shorinbo Main Gate
- [ Itsukushima Shrine & Hiroshima Peace Memorial ]
Q&A
- When was the Shorinbo Main Gate built?
- It was built in 1665 (Kanbun 5), making it the oldest of the eight registered buildings at Shorinbo. It was repaired in the mid Showa period.
- What type of gate is the Shorinbo Main Gate?
- It is a four-legged gate (shikyakumon), with two main posts braced by four auxiliary posts. It has a copper gable roof with cusped karahafu at the front and back eaves and an opening 3.3 metres wide.
- What details should I look for on the Shorinbo Main Gate?
- Look for the demi-stepped brackets with curved shirin boards, the extra bracket sets packed between the posts on the front and back, the tie-beam and vase-shaped strut in the gables, and the coffered ceiling. The Agency for Cultural Affairs praises the intricate carved profiles and fine incised patterns.
- Why is the Shorinbo Main Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 25 July 2011 for its contribution to the historic landscape.
- Can I see the Shorinbo Main Gate at any time?
- The exterior is visible from the street and from the temple grounds. Opening hours for the gate are not published, so plan to enter the grounds during the day.
Basic Information
| Name | Shorinbo Main Gate (照林坊山門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1280 Miyoshi-machi, Miyoshi City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, copper roof, frontage 3.3 metres |
| Owner | Shorinbo (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible (gate opening hours not published) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Shorinbo Main Gate (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008782
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shorinbo Main Gate (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/228423
Last verified: 2026.10.07
