What the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate is
Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate (教王護国寺東大門, Tōdaimon of Tō-ji, also written Kyōōgokoku-ji) is a Momoyama-period eight-legged gate on the east side of Tō-ji in Kujo-cho, Minami Ward, Kyoto City, recorded as a building of 1605 and designated an Important Cultural Property in 1910. It is three bays wide with a single passage, under a gabled Kirizuma-zukuri roof in Hongawarabuki tiles.
The gate is also known as the Akazu-mon, the "gate that does not open." Tō-ji links that name to a battle in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts and to arrow marks left on the gate.
It opens toward Ōmiya-dōri, and the nearby city bus stop, Tōji Higashimon-mae, takes its name from it. The Keigamon Gate stands a little to the north on the same street.
Why it is called the gate that does not open
According to Tō-ji, the warlord Ashikaga Takauji set up camp at the temple during the wars of the Northern and Southern Courts and fought the forces of Nitta Yoshisada. When the fighting moved from the capital to the area around Tō-ji, Takauji's troops shut the doors of this gate tight and came through the danger. From then on, the Great East Gate was called the Akazu-mon. Takauji's camp at Tō-ji dates to 1336.
Tō-ji says the scars of that fighting can still be seen on the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate, in the form of marks left by arrows.
The dates need care, though. The Agency for Cultural Affairs database records the present gate as Momoyama-period work of 1605, while Tō-ji's website labels the same gate "Kamakura period." Public sources do not explain how arrow marks from the 14th century survive on a building dated 1605, or whether older timbers were reused. This article's basic information follows the national database.
The Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate as an Important Cultural Property
The Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate carries a designation date of August 29, 1910, the same day as the Great South Gate. The date comes from the era of the Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as the Important Cultural Property designation date.
It is a three-bay gate with one central passage. Four main posts carrying the doors stand along its center line, with four auxiliary posts in front and four behind, which is what makes it an eight-legged gate.
The agency's database carries no commentary for this gate, so the reasons for its designation are not published. The recorded date of 1605 falls two years after the Golden Hall was rebuilt in 1603, during the Momoyama and early Edo campaign that put the temple's core back together.
What to look for
Start by looking closely at the surfaces of the doors and posts. Searching for the marks Tō-ji calls scars of war is the heart of a visit to the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate.
Then view the gate from the Ōmiya-dōri side. The Keigamon Gate on the same street is also a three-bay eight-legged gate, dated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs to the early Kamakura period, while this one is dated 1605. Seeing the two in succession shows how the same type can differ in timber size and roof character from one era to another.
Keep the name Akazu-mon in mind as you look: it recalls the gate's role as the eastern line of defense for the temple.
Visiting the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate
The Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate stands on the east side of the grounds, and you can view its exterior free of charge. Follow the signs on site about passing through it.
The nearest city bus stop is Tōji Higashimon-mae, served by routes 18, 71 and 207, among others.
Ōmiya-dōri carries heavy traffic near the gate. If you take photos from the street side, stay on the sidewalk and keep clear of pedestrians.
Q&A
- Why is the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate called the Akazu-mon?
- Tradition says that Ashikaga Takauji's troops, camped at Tō-ji, shut this gate tight against an attack by Nitta Yoshisada and so escaped danger.
- Are there arrow marks on the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate?
- Tō-ji says scars of the fighting remain. The Agency for Cultural Affairs, however, dates the present gate to 1605.
- When was the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs records 1605, in the Momoyama period. Tō-ji's website labels it Kamakura period, so the sources differ.
- Which bus stop is closest to the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate?
- Tōji Higashimon-mae, served by city bus routes 18, 71 and 207 among others.
- When was the Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On August 29, 1910, the same day as the Great South Gate.
Basic Information
| Name | Kyoogokokuji Temple Great East Gate (Kyōōgokoku-ji Tōdaimon) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kujo-cho, Minami Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1910 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | No published measurements (3-bay gate with 1 passage, eight-legged type, gabled tiled roof) |
| Owner | Kyoogokokuji Temple (Tō-ji) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable (free) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Kyoogokokuji Great East Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1840
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Kyoogokokuji Keigamon Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1838
- Tō-ji official website: History
- https://toji.or.jp/history/
- Tō-ji official website: Access
- https://toji.or.jp/access/
Last verified: 2026.09.15
