The Way into Jorakuji
The Jorakuji Temple Main Gate (常楽寺山門, Jōraku-ji Sanmon) is a four-legged gate of 1770 at the western end of the south side of Jorakuji Temple in Higashikanki-cho, Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 31 July 2007.
Its opening is 12 shaku wide, given in the registration data as 3.8 metres, and it carries a gabled roof (Kirizuma-zukuri) in clay tile (Hongawarabuki). It is the entrance to the temple grounds, with the bell tower of 1754 standing right next to it on the west.
Built 16 years after the bell tower, the main gate completed the south front of Jorakuji in the second half of the eighteenth century.
Why It Was Registered
The gate was listed as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to two things: the framing in the side gables and the way the doors are hung.
In each gable a curved tie-beam (Kōryō) carries a swelling, vase-shaped strut (Taiheizuka) flanked by scrolled carving (Oigata). What sets the Jorakuji gate apart is a second tie-beam, running front to back along the depth of the gate and tenoned into that strut, so the gable is tied into the frame behind it rather than standing as a flat screen.
The doors are the other point of interest. They turn on pivots seated in the head beam (Kabuki) above and a heavy sill block below, an old method that predates hinges. The decorative strap fittings (Happō kanamono) and four-lobed metal studs on the doors survive well, which lets you study gate hardware of some 250 years ago at close range.
What to Look At
The four-legged frame
A Shikyakumon has two main posts carrying the doors, braced front and back by four smaller posts. The Jorakuji Temple Main Gate follows this form under its tiled gable roof.
The side gables
Walk to either side of the gate. Above the curved tie-beam rises the vase-shaped strut, with scrolled carving on each side, and you can see the second beam running back into it along the depth of the gate.
Brackets and eaves
The posts carry three-block brackets (Demitsudo) topped by a bearing block that supports the purlin. The eaves are doubled, two tiers of closely spaced rafters, giving a modest gate a deep, substantial edge.
Doors and hardware
With no hinges, the doors rotate on pins set into the head beam and the sill block. Look up and down as you pass through to see how the pivots are housed, and check the doors for the strap fittings and four-lobed studs.
Visiting
Standing at the entrance, the Jorakuji main gate can be seen from the street side and from inside the grounds. Step round to the east and west sides for the gables; the door hardware is right in front of you as you walk through.
As of October 2026 no gate opening hours were published. Out of hours, admire it from outside, and plan to enter the grounds during the day.
One discrepancy: the temple's website dates the gate to 1862, while the national record gives 1770. Both describe a gabled gate in clay tile. This page follows the Agency for Cultural Affairs, whose record underpins the registration.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Hyogo
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Jorakuji Temple Main Gate
- [ Himeji Castle & Kobe Night View Cruise ]
Q&A
- When was the Jorakuji Temple Main Gate built?
- The national record dates it to 1770 (Meiwa 7). The temple's website gives 1862.
- What kind of gate is the Jorakuji Temple Main Gate?
- A four-legged gate, with two main posts braced by four smaller ones, under a gabled clay-tile roof. The opening is 12 shaku, recorded as 3.8 metres.
- Why is the Jorakuji Temple Main Gate a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered on 31 July 2007 as a model of design, for the framing of its gables and its old method of hanging the doors on pivots.
- What should I look for at the Jorakuji Temple Main Gate?
- The vase-shaped struts and scrolled carving in the side gables, the beam tenoned into each strut, the three-block brackets, and the doors with their surviving metal fittings.
- Can I visit the Jorakuji Temple Main Gate freely?
- It stands at the entrance, so the exterior is visible from outside and inside the grounds. Opening hours are not published, so visit during the day.
Basic Information
| Name | Jorakuji Temple Main Gate (常楽寺山門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1413 Kanki, Higashikanki-cho, Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2007/7/31 (Heisei 19) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, frontage 3.8 metres (12 shaku in the description) |
| Owner | Jorakuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable (gate opening hours not published) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 常楽寺山門
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006568
- Cultural Heritage Online: 常楽寺山門
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/143831
- Kakogawa Tourism Association: Kanki no Jorakuji (Kanki Castle Site)
- https://kako-navi.jp/spot/18980.html
Last verified: 2026.10.08
