An eight-legged gate on the south side
The Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct South Gate (Fumeimon) (法隆寺東院南門(不明門), Hōryū-ji Tōin Nanmon) in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, is a mid-Muromachi gate built in 1459 in the south wall of the Eastern Precinct and designated an Important Cultural Property on April 7, 1900. Its second name, Fumeimon, is read "fu-mei-mon."
It is an eight-legged gate three bays wide with a single central passage, under a gabled tile roof. The national database records the south wall of the precinct running 26.4 meters east and 29.4 meters west of it.
A gate of higher rank
An eight-legged gate has four main posts across its front, each braced front and back by auxiliary posts, eight in all, with the middle bay of three as the passage. It ranks a step above the four-legged gate. The Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate uses that grander form for the gate on the precinct's formal south side.
Built in 1459, it is roughly 230 years younger than early Kamakura buildings such as the Raido of 1231, evidence that the precinct kept being cared for through the Middle Ages.
What to look for
From the front, only the middle of the three bays serves as the passage. Count the posts and you can read the four main posts across the front with the auxiliary posts before and behind.
The walls on either side date from 1696, more than two centuries after the gate. Compare the tiles and plaster of gate and wall.
Visiting
The gate is seen from outside, and its front can be viewed from south of the Eastern Precinct. For visiting the precinct itself, see the Horyuji page.
Hours, tickets and directions are on the Horyuji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nara
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct South Gate (Fumeimon)
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Q&A
- How do you read "Fumeimon" at the Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate?
- "Fu-mei-mon." The official name is Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate (Fumeimon).
- What is an eight-legged gate?
- A gate with four main posts braced by eight auxiliary posts, three bays wide with the middle bay as the passage. It ranks above the four-legged gate.
- When was the Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate built?
- In 1459, in the mid-Muromachi period.
- Are the walls beside the Horyuji South Gate the same age?
- No. The Eastern Precinct walls date from 1696, more than 200 years later.
- Is the Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate an Important Cultural Property?
- Yes. It was designated on April 7, 1900.
Basic Information
| Name | Horyuji Temple Eastern Precinct South Gate (Fumeimon) |
|---|---|
| Location | Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1900/4/7 (Meiji 33) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Eight-legged gate, 3 bays with 1 passage, gabled roof, tile roof |
| Owner | Horyuji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior only |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate (Fumeimon)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2691
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Eastern Precinct Walls (South)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2727
- Cultural Heritage Online — Horyuji Eastern Precinct South Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/db/heritages/detail/146388
Last verified: 2026.10.01
