Jotokuin Temple Gate

A Yakuimon Gate in Nagano City

The Jotokuin Temple Gate (常徳院門) is a yakuimon-style gate of the early Meiji period in Motoyoshicho, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 18, 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a timber gate with a tiled roof, 2.6 metres wide; registration number 20-0268.

A Yakuimon Gate Facing the Street

The Jotokuin Temple Gate is the main gate, in yakuimon form, opening onto the street at the middle of the east side of the property (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It is 8 shaku wide, with rear posts set 4 shaku back, under a gabled pantile roof.

The front ends of the main beams are carved as decorative beam ends, and brackets and bolsters on the projecting beams carry the purlins (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The double doors are of boards, and a small wicket door is set in the side wall to the left.

Why It Was Registered

The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.

What to Look For

Look for the carved beam ends and the wicket door in the left-hand side wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

The gate faces the street and can be seen from outside (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on access to the temple itself was found.