A Thatched Gate at the Kasama Clan Temple
The Ryogonji Temple Gate (楞厳寺山門) is a thatched four-legged gate of the mid-Muromachi period in Kataniwa, Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on April 5, 1917 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a four-legged gate with a thatched gable roof; designation number 00686.
The 1917 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.
The Gate of the Kasama Clan Temple
According to Kasama City, Ryogonji is a temple of the Myoshinji branch of Rinzai Zen and the family temple of the Kasama clan. The gate dates from the mid-Muromachi period and, like the temple's wooden figure of the Thousand-Armed Kannon, is an Important Cultural Property.
The gate is a four-legged gate with a thatched gable roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs). In this type, two main posts are braced front and back by pairs of smaller posts.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency's record has no commentary; the structure and date set out what was designated. Kasama City presents the gate as a building of the mid-Muromachi period.
What to Look For
Look for the four-legged gate under its thatched gable roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Kasama City notes that the hill behind the temple is a habitat of the himeharuzemi cicada, a Natural Monument.
Visiting
It is owned by Ryogonji Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was the Ryogonji Temple Gate built?
- In the mid-Muromachi period (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Kasama City).
- What kind of gate is it?
- A four-legged gate with a thatched gable roof.
- What kind of temple is Ryogonji?
- A Rinzai Zen temple of the Myoshinji branch and the family temple of the Kasama clan (Kasama City).
- Where is Ryogonji?
- In Kataniwa, Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
- When was the Ryogonji Temple Gate designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On April 5, 1917 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Ryogonji Temple Gate (楞厳寺山門) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kataniwa, Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1917/04/05 (Taisho 6) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Four-legged gate, thatched gable roof |
| Owner | Ryogonji Temple |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Ryogonji Temple Gate (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/245
- Main sights of Kasama (Kasama City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.kasama.lg.jp/data/doc/1315905276_doc_13_1.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.20