A Mid-Edo Gate in Front of the Priests' Quarters
The Enichiji Temple Back Gate (慧日寺裏門, Enichi-ji Uramon) is a mid-Edo-period gate built between 1661 and 1751 in the precinct of Enichiji Temple in Sannan-chō, Tanba City, Hyogo Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on December 19, 2014. It is a one-bay Yakuimon 2.3 metres wide under a Kirizuma-zukuri gable roof of copper sheet, with a short wing wall (Sodobei) on each side and a small wicket door (Kugurido).
The Back Gate stands directly in front of the priests' quarters on their east side, on the north side of the precinct. It is the oldest of the five registered buildings at Enichiji.
Why It Was Registered: A Trace of the Mid-Edo Revival
The Enichiji Temple Back Gate was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it simple in construction overall, but notes that it shows how the north side of the precinct was arranged when the temple was revived in the mid-Edo period.
Enichiji burned in 1575, during Akechi Mitsuhide's campaign in Tanba Province, and was rebuilt during the Edo period. The other four registered buildings date from the late Edo period or the final years of the shogunate. Only the Enichiji Back Gate reaches back to the mid-Edo revival, and it is the building that shows how the north side of the precinct was set out at that time.
What to Look For: Main Posts, Lintel and Carved Beam Ends
A yakuimon stands on 4 posts: 2 main posts that carry the doors and 2 rear posts (hikaebashira) set behind them. The ridge of the roof lies behind the main posts, so seen from the side the front eave reaches noticeably further forward than the back.
The main posts of the Enichiji Temple Back Gate are rectangular in section (gohei), and a lintel (kabuki) spans their tops to form the frame of the gate. Between the rear posts runs a head tie beam whose projecting ends (kibana) are carved with scrolling patterns. Three beams run front to back to carry the roof.
The eaves have a single layer of widely spaced Taruki rafters, with thin laths nailed across them. The bell tower in the same precinct has double, tightly packed rafters, and the comparison shows how differently the two were finished. In a gate this plain, the carved beam ends are the one decorative touch.
Visiting the Enichiji Temple Back Gate
The Enichiji Temple Back Gate is seen from the precinct during Enichiji's opening hours, after paying the admission fee. Directions and visiting conditions for the whole temple are gathered on the Enichiji Temple page.
To read the structure, view the gate from the side, where the relation between main and rear posts, the long front eave and the three beams can all be seen at once. The carved beam ends are closest on the rear-post side. Official tourism listings do not say whether the gate may be used as a passage or whether photography is restricted, so follow the guidance at reception.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Enichiji Temple Back Gate
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Enichiji Temple Back Gate built?
- The national register places it in the mid-Edo period, 1661–1751. It is the oldest of Enichiji's five registered buildings.
- What kind of gate is the Enichiji Temple Back Gate?
- It is a yakuimon: 2 main posts carry the doors and 2 rear posts behind them help support the roof, with the ridge set behind the main posts so the front eave projects further. It is one bay and 2.3 metres wide.
- Where is the Enichiji Temple Back Gate in the precinct?
- It stands on the north side of the precinct, directly in front of the priests' quarters on the east. Wing walls extend on either side, and it has a small wicket door.
- Why is the Enichiji Temple Back Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2014 for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, although simply built, it shows how the north side of the precinct was arranged in the mid-Edo revival.
- Can visitors walk through the Enichiji Temple Back Gate?
- Official listings do not say, so follow the guidance at reception. The gate itself can be viewed from the precinct during opening hours.
Basic Information
| Name | Enichiji Temple Back Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 127-1 Ota, Sannan-cho, Tanba City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2014 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 2.3 metres wide |
| Owner | Enichiji Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Grounds open to visitors (admission fee); viewed from the precinct |
References
- Cultural Properties Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Enichiji Uramon
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010327
- Cultural Heritage Online: Enichiji Uramon
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/282840
- Tanba City: National Designated, Selected and Registered Cultural Properties
- https://www.city.tamba.lg.jp/soshiki/shakaikyoikubunkazaika/gyomuannai/7/1/1650.html
- Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History, Hyogo Rekishi no Michi: Enichiji
- https://www.hyogo-c.ed.jp/~rekihaku-bo/historystation/trip/html/079/079.html
- Burari Tambaji (Hyogo Tanba tourism portal): Enichiji
- https://www.burari-tambaji.com/spot/65
Last verified: 2026.09.19
