What Is the Sojiji Sanshokan?
The Sojiji Sanshokan (總持寺三松関, Sanshōkan) is the outer gate of Sojiji Temple in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, built in 1920 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2005.
It is the first gate you pass on the approach from the station, and it faces east. It is a one-bay koraimon (Kōraimon) with a gabled (Kirizuma-zukuri) roof of formal tiles (Hongawarabuki), with a small wicket door on each side. A modest guardhouse with exposed posts adjoins it to the north, and an earthen wall runs off to the south. The gate is 6.4 meters wide; the guardhouse covers 45 square meters.
The plaque over the opening reads "Sanju Shokan", Gate of the Three Pine Trees. The temple says it was written by Abbot Ishikawa Sodo (1841 to 1924), who led the move to Yokohama, and recalls three magnificent dragon-shaped pines at the old Noto site. The first thing a visitor reads at the Sojiji Sanshokan is a memory of the place the temple left.
Why the Sanshokan Was Registered
The Sojiji Sanshokan was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs praises its construction entirely in zelkova, the care taken over its details and the generous 6.4-meter span that makes it a fitting entrance to a great monastery.
A koraimon sets a second pair of posts behind the main posts and gives each pair its own small roof. The type is familiar from castle gateways and is an unusual choice for the first gate of a Zen temple; it gives the Sanshokan the tight, watchful look of a checkpoint, which suits the character kan, "barrier", in its name.
The guardhouse, kept attached to the gate, is a further point of interest: a small working building for receiving and watching over visitors that survives in place.
What to Look For at the Sanshokan
Start with the wood. The zelkova posts and crossbeam are thick, and the grain has come up with age. The relationship between main and rear posts is clearest from behind and to one side.
Read the plaque, too: the gate is called Sanshokan, but the calligraphy adds the character for "trees".
The guardhouse to the north, with its posts showing through the walls, is light in build, and that contrast makes the Sojiji Sanshokan look all the more solid.
Visiting the Sojiji Sanshokan
The Sojiji Sanshokan stands at the start of the approach, and anyone may walk through it. It faces east, so the plaque and woodwork are best lit in the morning.
The temple does not list the guardhouse as open to visitors. Cars and pedestrians pass through the gate area, so keep clear of traffic when you stop for photos. Directions are on the Sojiji Temple page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Sojiji Sanshokan?
- It is the outer gate at the start of the approach, the first gate you reach walking from the station. It faces east.
- Why does the plaque on the Sojiji Sanshokan read "Sanju Shokan"?
- The temple says the calligraphy is by Abbot Ishikawa Sodo and refers to three dragon-shaped pines at the original Noto site. The plaque adds the character for "trees" to the gate's name.
- What type of gate is the Sojiji Sanshokan?
- A one-bay koraimon built entirely of zelkova, with a gabled tiled roof, wicket doors on both sides, a guardhouse to the north and an earthen wall to the south.
- When was the Sojiji Sanshokan built and registered?
- It was built in 1920 and registered on 12 July 2005.
- Can I walk through the Sojiji Sanshokan?
- Yes, it is open to all visitors. The temple does not list the attached guardhouse as open.
Basic Information
| Name | Sojiji Sanshokan (總持寺三松関) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1-1 Tsurumi, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2005 (Heisei 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Gate frontage 6.4 meters; guardhouse building area 45 square meters |
| Owner | Religious Corporation Daihonzan Sojiji |
| Public Access | Open to pass through freely; no published guardhouse access |
References
- Sojiji Sanshokan - Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004712
- Sanshokan (Japanese) - Sotoshu Daihonzan Sojiji
- https://www.sojiji.jp/map/sansyoukan/
- Visiting Information (Japanese) - Sotoshu Daihonzan Sojiji
- https://www.sojiji.jp/visit/
Last verified: 2026.09.16
