What Is Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls?
Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls (高龍寺山門及び袖塀, Kōryū-ji Sanmon oyobi Sodebei) is the timber gateway and the pair of short walls (Sodobei) that front Koryuji, a Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido; built around 1910, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. The gate faces north onto the street and is the first thing anyone sees of the temple.
The Main Gate is an eight-legged gate (Hakkyakumon) with a hip-and-gable roof of pantiles and a footprint of 35 square meters. Its framing follows the Zen style (Zenshūyō). To either side run tiled timber flanking walls with a total length of 29 meters, fitted with small wicket doors. The plaque on the front reads "Kokkasan," the temple's mountain name, and is said to be in the hand of Morita Goyu, the sixty-fourth head of Eiheiji.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the gate to around 1910; the temple and Hakodate's tourism site give 1911. It was repaired in 1997.
Why the Main Gate Matters
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the master builder of Koryuji Temple Main Gate was the fifth Shinoda Sokichi, successor to the Sokichi who built the Main Hall. The two buildings face each other across the precinct, so in a few dozen steps you pass from one generation's work to the next.
The carving is the core of the gate's value. Its frog-leg struts (Kaerumata) and transoms (Ranma) are filled with clouds and dragons, lions, birds, and flowers, and the Agency describes it as a richly ornamented gate. The temple says there are 207 carvings on the gate alone. Hakodate's official tourism site adds that they were carved in Echigo, today's Niigata Prefecture, and shipped north by sailing vessel, a neat illustration of the sea trade that linked the two regions.
The temple describes the gate as built entirely of hiba (Japanese thujopsis). Local guides also call it the largest temple gate north of the Tohoku region, though none of them says what it was compared against.
What to Look for at the Main Gate
Start with the front. Hakodate's tourism site points out a lion on the left, a dragon in the center, and a phoenix on the right as you face the gate. The central dragon coils around the plaque itself, right where your eyes land when you look up.
Then step under the roof and look up at the bracket sets and frog-leg struts. Viewed from the side, and again looking back from inside the precinct, the depth of the relief and the sheer number of pieces become clear.
The flanking walls share the gate's tiled roof and anchor it on both sides. Beyond them an earthen wall continues, and farther west it gives way to the brick firebreak wall. Looking along the whole north frontage, you can follow the change of material from timber to earth to brick.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls
Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls can be viewed from the pavement at any time. While the grounds are open you can also pass through and look up from the inside. Because the gate faces north, you will be standing on the street side to see the front carvings.
The gate opens directly onto the road, so watch for traffic when taking photographs. There is no restriction on walking through, but please do not touch the pillars or carvings. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Koryuji Temple Main Gate built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to around 1910. The temple gives 1911.
- How many carvings are on Koryuji Temple Main Gate?
- The temple says there are 207, including dragons, lions, a phoenix, birds, and flowers on the struts and transoms.
- Who built Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls?
- The master builder was the fifth Shinoda Sokichi, an Echigo carpenter and successor to the builder of the Main Hall.
- Can Koryuji Temple Main Gate be seen in the evening?
- The exterior is visible from the pavement at any time. The temple says the grounds are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., so come within those hours to see the gate from the inside.
- How long are the flanking walls of Koryuji Temple Main Gate?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives a total length of 29 meters, with wicket doors. An earthen wall and the brick firebreak wall continue beyond them.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Main Gate and Flanking Walls (高龍寺山門及び袖塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-3 Funamicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2012 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Gate area 35 square meters; flanking walls 29 meters in total length |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the pavement at all times; from the grounds 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Main Gate and Flanking Walls (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009103
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Main Gate and Flanking Walls (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/239886
- Designated Townscape Buildings (Hakodate City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014021000244/
- A Walk Around the Funamicho Precinct (Kokkasan Koryuji official site, Japanese)
- https://www.kokkasan.org/halls
- Guide to Koryuji, a Showpiece of Traditional Japanese Architecture (Hakobura, Hakodate official tourism site, Japanese)
- https://www.hakobura.jp/features/107
Last verified: 2026.10.02
