Chion-in Temple Sanmon Gate

The Largest Two-Storey Gate in Japan

The Chion-in Temple Sanmon Gate (知恩院三門) is the early Edo Sanmon gate of Chion-in in Rinka-cho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, which in 2002 was designated a National Treasure.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a two-storey gate five bays wide with three entrances, hip-and-gable with a tiled roof, flanked by stair halls.

According to the Agency, Tokugawa Hidetada conceived it in 1619 and it was completed in 1621 by master carpenters under the Nakai family.

The Gate

According to the Agency, the gate stands on the lower level of the temple among the sub-temples. It is a two-storey gate five bays wide with three entrances and stair halls on each side.

Its structural details are Zen style, and the interior of the upper storey is richly painted.

What to Look For

The Agency calls it one of the most accomplished works of early Edo building technique, of very high value in architectural history.

It is the largest surviving two-storey gate, magnificently decorated, with deep cultural significance as the symbol of the Jodo head temple.

Visiting the Chion-in Temple Sanmon Gate

Chion-in says its gates are open 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; photography and recording inside the halls are prohibited.

The temple layout and visiting information are on the Chion-in group page.