The corridor west of the Tower Gate
The Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor (今宮神社楼門西廻廊, Imamiya Jinja Romon Nishi Kairo) is a corridor building of 1926 set a short distance west of the Tower Gate at Imamiya Shrine in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/03/27. Running east to west, it forms the shrine's south front together with the gate and the East Corridor.
It was planned as one with the gate and the East Corridor in the same year. It is registered as a model of design, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs calls it a high-quality corridor that borrows forms and techniques from medieval and earlier architecture.
Eaves and gables with a strong sweep
The building is three bays long and one deep, with a gabled roof. The structure field of the Agency's database gives the roofing as copper sheet, while its description says traditional tiles, so the record is inconsistent. Latticed windows open front and back, panelled doors close the gable ends, and boat-shaped brackets sit on small struts between the posts.
What marks the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor is its curvature. The corner posts are extended, and the two-layer eaves and the gable bargeboards are given a strong upward sweep, lending a modern building the curves of a much older one.
Its twin, the East Corridor, is praised instead for the carving in its gables. The two buildings match in plan, but each rewards a slightly different kind of attention.
What to look for, and visiting
The Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor is not open inside. You can see it from within the grounds and from the approach in front of the gate.
To see the sweep, sight along the eave line from one gable end. From under the Tower Gate, looking west, you can compare the curve of the gate's eaves with the corridor's. Directions are on the Imamiya Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor built?
- In 1926, the same year as the gate and the East Corridor.
- What is special about the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor?
- Its extended corner posts and the strong upward sweep of its eaves and gables.
- What is the roof of the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor made of?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs records copper sheet in one field and traditional tiles in another, so the record is inconsistent.
- Can I go inside the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor?
- No. It can be seen from the grounds and from the approach.
- How does the Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor differ from the East Corridor?
- They share a plan, but the West Corridor is noted for its curving eaves and the East Corridor for its gable carving.
Basic Information
| Name | Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor (今宮神社楼門西廻廊) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21 Imamiyacho, Murasakino, Kita-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 26-555 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/03/27 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, gabled roof, three bays by one; building area 44 square metres |
| Owner | Imamiya Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior can be seen freely from the grounds (no charge); interior not open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Imamiya Shrine Tower Gate West Corridor
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012207
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures), report of 2017/11/17 (Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/r1392281_21.pdf
- Kyoto City official travel guide — Imamiya Shrine (Japanese)
- https://ja.kyoto.travel/tourism/single01.php?category_id=7&tourism_id=496
Last verified: 2026.10.01
