An early Edo gate beside the approach
The Saionin Agetsuchimon Gate (西園院上土門, Saion-in Agetsuchimon) in Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, is a gate of the Saionin sub-temple of Horyuji, built in the early Edo period, between about 1615 and 1660, and designated an Important Cultural Property on December 22, 1942. It opens in the east wall of the Southwest Sub-Temple Walls, on the west side of the approach from the Great South Gate to the Middle Gate.
It is a one-bay agetsuchimon with a cypress-bark roof. The national database records 6.7 meters of wall between it and the Saionin Karamon next door.
What an agetsuchimon is
An agetsuchimon, literally an "earth-topped gate," has a lintel across two posts and a nearly flat roof on which earth was heaped, held in at the gable ends by upright boards. From the Heian period on, it served as the gate of aristocratic houses and temples.
The roof of the Saionin Agetsuchimon is covered with cypress bark rather than earth. In the early modern period, bark and similar materials came to replace the earth on such gates while the low, flat profile was kept; the name describes how the gate is built, not what covers it.
Seen with the Karamon
Saionin has two gates side by side: this one and the Karamon 6.7 meters to the north. A near-flat roof beside a gate whose sides show the curve of a cusped gable makes one of the most eye-catching sights along the approach.
The earthen walls running either side are also Important Cultural Properties, part of the Southwest Sub-Temple Walls, so gate and wall together keep the face of the sub-temple.
Visiting
The Saionin Agetsuchimon can be seen freely from the approach; Saionin itself is not open to the public. Step to the side to see the low roof and the layered bark.
Hours, tickets and directions are on the Horyuji page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Saionin Agetsuchimon Gate?
- On the west side of the approach from Horyuji's Great South Gate to the Middle Gate, on the east side of the Saionin sub-temple.
- What is an agetsuchimon?
- A gate with a lintel on two posts and a nearly flat roof heaped with earth; this one is roofed in cypress bark instead.
- How does the Saionin Agetsuchimon differ from the Karamon?
- The Agetsuchimon has a near-flat roof; the Karamon shows a curved cusped gable on its sides. They stand 6.7 meters apart.
- Can you go through the Saionin Agetsuchimon?
- No. Saionin is not open to the public, but the gate is visible from the approach.
- Is the Saionin Agetsuchimon an Important Cultural Property?
- Yes. It was designated on December 22, 1942.
Basic Information
| Name | Saionin Agetsuchimon Gate (Saion-in Agetsuchimon) |
|---|---|
| Location | Horyuji Sannai, Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | 1942/12/22 (Showa 17) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | One-bay agetsuchimon, cypress-bark roof |
| Owner | Horyuji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior only (visible from the approach) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Saionin Agetsuchimon
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2718
- Cultural Heritage Online — Saionin Agetsuchimon
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/db/heritages/detail/157255
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties — Horyuji Southwest Sub-Temple Walls (East)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2725
Last verified: 2026.10.01
