A See-Through Fence and a Rear Gate
Behind the main sanctuary, a low fence and a small gate mark the back edge of the sacred ground. This is the sukibei, a see-through fence whose upper part is left open in a lattice, together with the komon, or rear gate. Both were built in 1940 as part of the campaign carried out at the enshrinement of Emperor Komei.
The design was the work of Sunami Takashi and Tani Shigeo, engineers of the Home Ministry's Shrine Bureau, the same hands behind much of the 1940 program here. A single-bay ridge gate, a munamon, stands at the center, with the see-through fence running out to left and right. Originally the fence reached a total length of 114 meters; today the registered stretch measures about 90 meters where it bends.
Framing the Sacred Rear
The sukibei and rear gate do the quiet structural work of dividing off the space behind the honden, the innermost sanctuary. Where the front of the shrine opens outward to worshippers, this screen closes the back into a contained, private zone.
The pair was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on 3 September 2002. Its value lies in completing the enclosure begun by the 1895 buildings, giving the rear of the precinct the same considered treatment as its ceremonial front.
What to Look For
Because it screens the sanctuary's rear, the sukibei is not on the visitor path, and the sacred core it encloses is closed to the public. What can be appreciated is its logic: a low, open lattice that separates without walling off, a boundary you can see through but not cross.
The copper roofing over the fence and the single ridge gate reward attention for their restraint. This is a boundary built to be felt rather than displayed, the last of the 1940 additions to complete the circuit around the shrine core.
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Q&A
- What is a sukibei?
- A see-through fence whose upper section is left open in a lattice, so it marks a boundary while still allowing sightlines through it.
- Who designed it?
- Sunami Takashi and Tani Shigeo, engineers of the Home Ministry's Shrine Bureau, who worked on much of the 1940 building campaign here.
- How long is it?
- The registered fence measures about 90 meters where it bends. Originally the run reached some 114 meters.
- Can visitors see it up close?
- No. It screens the area behind the main sanctuary, which is closed to the public. The grounds themselves are free to enter.
Basic Information
| Name | Heian Jingu Sukibei and Rear Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | 121 Okazaki Irie-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Registered | 21 August 2002 (gazetted 3 September 2002) |
| Registration no. | 26-0116 |
| Count | 1 structure |
| Structure | Timber see-through fence, copper roof, 90 m along its bends; ridge gate, 3.0 m frontage |
| Date | 1940 |
| Owner | Heian Jingu (religious corporation) |
| Access | Screens the sanctuary rear; not on the visitor path |
References
- 国指定文化財等データベース（文化庁）
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00002926
- 平安神宮 社殿・境内案内（公式）
- https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/map/guide/
- 平安神宮 公式サイト
- https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/
Last verified: 2026.07.02