A Late Edo Gate on the Eastern Edge
The Motoyamaji Great Gate (本山寺大門, Motoyama-ji Daimon) is a late-Edo-period eight-pillared gate within the grounds of Motoyamaji Temple in Motoyama, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture; it was moved to its present site in 1914 and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database dates it to the late Edo period, a span from the late 18th to the early 19th century.
It stands just south of the Daishi Hall, at the southern end of the eastern side of the grounds. Its ridge runs north to south and the gate opens to the east. The building area is 24 square metres.
An eight-pillared gate, or hakkyakumon, has four main pillars carrying the doors, with four support pillars in front of them and four behind. The Nio Gate on the south side of Motoyamaji is the same type, so the precinct has two eight-pillared gates from different periods.
Why It Was Registered
The registration criterion is contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes the Motoyamaji Great Gate's orderly structure and detailing and says it forms the southern part of the precinct's eastern front. Although it was brought in from elsewhere, it now defines the eastern outline of the grounds.
On the move itself, the Agency's database records only that the gate was relocated in 1914 and does not say where it stood before.
What to Look For
All the pillars are round and stand on stone bases. They are tied with tie beams, curved Kōryō beams and a head plate, and carry three-block brackets with bolsters and carved nosings. The roof is hip-and-gable in Hongawarabuki tile, and the eaves use two tiers of closely spaced Taruki rafters.
The detail to look for is between the pillars. Each bay on the front and the central bay at the back carries a carved Kaerumata, a frog-leg strut, while the remaining bays have plain splayed struts. The ornament is concentrated where people look: the full front, and the middle of the back that you see if you turn round after passing through. Looking up from the front and from the back gives two quite different impressions.
It is worth comparing it with the Nio Gate to the south. The Nio Gate has a simple gabled roof, while the Motoyamaji Great Gate has a hip-and-gable roof, so two gates of the same plan type present entirely different profiles.
Visiting
The exterior of the Motoyamaji Great Gate can be viewed freely from the grounds. The carved struts sit in every front bay and in the middle bay at the back, so look up at the gate from both its east and west sides.
Because the gate faces east, the front struts catch the light in the morning. We found no official rule against photographing the exterior, but please keep clear of worshippers passing through the gate and follow any signs on site.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Motoyamaji Great Gate
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- When was the Motoyamaji Great Gate built, and when was it registered?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the late Edo period. It was moved to its present site in 1914 and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014, under registration number 37-0413.
- Where did the Motoyamaji Great Gate originally stand?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs database records only that it was relocated in 1914 and does not give its earlier location.
- Is the Motoyamaji Great Gate the same as the Nio Gate?
- No. Both are eight-pillared gates, but the Nio Gate is the gabled south entrance, while the Motoyamaji Great Gate, with a hip-and-gable roof, stands beside the Daishi Hall on the eastern side of the grounds.
- What should I look for at the Motoyamaji Great Gate?
- Look between the pillars: carved frog-leg struts fill every front bay and the central back bay, with plain struts elsewhere. The round pillars on stone bases and the two-tier rafters are also worth a look.
- Can you walk through the Motoyamaji Great Gate?
- The exterior can be viewed freely as part of the temple grounds. We found no notice of special restrictions on passing through, but please follow any signs on site.
Basic Information
| Name | Motoyamaji Great Gate (本山寺大門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1760-1 Shinden, Motoyama-ko, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber gate, tiled roof, building area 24 square metres |
| Owner | Religious Corporation Motoyamaji |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the temple grounds; no admission fee |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Motoyamaji Great Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010373
- Mitoyo City: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.city.mitoyo.lg.jp/kakuka/kyouikuiinkai/shogai/3_1/history_bunnkazai/13938.html
- Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Association: Shippozan Jihoin Motoyamaji (Japanese)
- https://88shikokuhenro.jp/70motoyamaji/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
