A Muromachi karamon for a sub-temple
The Kitamuroin Front Gate (北室院表門, Kitamuro-in Omotemon) in Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, is the front gate of the Kitamuroin sub-temple of Horyuji, built in the late Muromachi period, between 1467 and 1572, and designated an Important Cultural Property on April 17, 1911.
It is a one-bay hira-karamon with a cypress-bark roof.
How a hira-karamon works
In a hira-karamon the eave runs straight across the front, and the bow-shaped curve of the cusped gable appears on the sides; a muko-karamon turns that curve to face you.
Horyuji has one other designated gate of this type, the early Edo Saionin Karamon. The Kitamuroin Front Gate is older, from the late Muromachi period, so the same form can be compared across time.
Kitamuroin also keeps its main hall of 1494 and its Taishiden, both Important Cultural Properties; gate, hall and residence together show the makeup of a sub-temple.
What to look for
Step to the side to see the curve of the gable and the thickness of the bark roof, then compare it with the straight eave line seen from the front.
Its soft bark roof echoes the bark roof of the Kitamuroin Main Hall behind it.
Visiting
Kitamuroin is a residential sub-temple and is not open to the public; the Kitamuroin Front Gate is seen from outside.
Hours, tickets and directions for Horyuji are on the Horyuji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Nara
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kitamuroin Front Gate
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Q&A
- What kind of gate is the Kitamuroin Front Gate?
- A late Muromachi one-bay hira-karamon with a cypress-bark roof.
- What is a hira-karamon?
- A gate with a straight eave at the front and the curved cusped gable on the sides.
- Are there other hira-karamon at Horyuji?
- Yes, the early Edo Saionin Karamon, also an Important Cultural Property.
- Can you go through the Kitamuroin Front Gate?
- No. Kitamuroin is closed to the public; the gate is seen from outside.
- Is the Kitamuroin Front Gate an Important Cultural Property?
- Yes. It was designated on April 17, 1911.
Basic Information
| Name | Kitamuroin Front Gate (Kitamuro-in Omotemon) |
|---|---|
| Location | Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1911/4/17 (Meiji 44) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | One-bay hira-karamon, cypress-bark roof |
| Owner | Horyuji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior only (sub-temple closed) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Kitamuroin Front Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2709
- Cultural Heritage Online — Kitamuroin Front Gate
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/db/heritages/detail/186856
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Kitamuroin Main Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2705
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Saionin Karamon
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2731
Last verified: 2026.10.01
