What the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate Is
The Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate (蟻通神社裏門) is a gate of 1853 at the northwestern entrance to Aritoshi Shrine in Nagataki, Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2015. It is a four-legged gate of timber with a gabled roof of heavy formal tiles, an opening of 4.0 metres, and a vermilion finish.
Two gates mark the boundary of the sacred ground: the front gate to the south and the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate to the northwest. The two match almost exactly in size, in type and even in colour. One detail separates them. The cloud-patterned wing ornaments that sit at the post heads of the front gate are absent here.
The national database records the carpenter's name, Kaido Hikozaemon Kiyoshige, who headed the local carpenters' guild.
Why It Was Registered
The Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate was listed under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the nation, with registration number 27-0626.
Its value lies in the pairing. On its own it is a four-legged gate of 1853; what matters is that it survives alongside the front gate built the year before. Same workshop tradition, same dimensions, same type, with one step of ornament removed. Put the two side by side and you can read how the front and back of a sacred precinct were graded against each other.
Knowing the builder adds weight. Named master carpenters with a recorded office are uncommon in provincial buildings of this period, and the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate documents the work of a local guild.
What to Look For
Look for where the difference from the front gate falls. Post thickness, span and roof profile all agree, yet the post heads here are left plain. Seeing the two gates one after the other shows how removing a single ornament changes the character of a building.
The setting around the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate is quieter than the southern entrance. The approach is narrower and trees stand close. A vermilion gate against green is easier to compose here, and afternoon light reaches it well.
A purification pavilion stands just to the north. Taking both into one view brings out how closely the late Edo gate and the pavilion belong to the same hand.
Visiting the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate
Visitors can walk through the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate. It serves the northwestern approach and can be used to enter or leave the precincts. Stopping beneath it and looking up gives a clear view of the joinery around the post heads.
For a square-on view of the front, step out onto the approach to the north. From inside the grounds you see the rear face, with the fence around the main hall behind it.
Photography is unrestricted and entry is free. Directions and opening conditions for the shrine are set out on the Aritoshi Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When was the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate built?
- In 1853, a year after the front gate. It was moved to the present site in 1942.
- How does the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate differ from the front gate?
- They match in size and type and both are vermilion four-legged gates. The Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate simply lacks the cloud-patterned ornaments at the post heads.
- Who built the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate?
- The carpenter Kaido Hikozaemon Kiyoshige, head of the local carpenters' guild.
- Can visitors pass through the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate?
- Yes. It stands at the northwestern approach and is used for entering and leaving.
- What is the heritage status of the Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate?
- It is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, listed on 4 August 2015 with registration number 27-0626.
Basic Information
| Name | Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate |
|---|---|
| Location | Nagataki 806 and vicinity, Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2015 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof, opening 4.0 metres |
| Owner | Aritoshi Shrine (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precincts freely open; interior not open to the public |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Aritoshi Shrine Back Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010671
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Heritage Portal: Aritoshi Shrine
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/6535/
- Aritoshi Shrine: History of the Shrine
- https://www.aritooshi.org/about.html
- Izumisano City Tourism Site: Aritoshi Shrine
- https://visitizumisanojpn.com/aritooshi/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
