What the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences Are
The Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences (蟻通神社後門及び東西透塀) are structures of 1942 enclosing the main hall at Aritoshi Shrine in Nagataki, Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, listed together as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2015. The gate is of timber with a copper-plate roof and a 2.4 metre opening; each of the two fences is timber, copper-roofed, and 24 metres long.
All three were registered as a single entry. They stand on a coursed stone base, the fences running from the rear of the worship hall along either side of the main hall, with the gate closing the enclosure at the north. The barrier that sets the main hall apart survives here as one piece.
Like the open corridor, the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences were not carried from the old site. They were made new to fit the relocated compound.
Why They Were Registered
The listing criterion was contribution to the historic landscape of the nation, under registration number 27-0622.
The national register groups these structures with the open corridor as evidence of how the precincts looked when the shrine was moved. A gate and a fence attract little attention on their own, yet they record a decision about how the sacred core should be divided from the rest. Anyone trying to read the 1942 replanning starts here.
The detailing was noticed as well. The gate is a single-bay bracket-arm type hung with folding panelled doors, and above the lintel sits a frog-leg strut with unusually long legs. The fences are filled with vertical boards cut to a pointed head and set edge to edge, with a narrow open band left along the top.
What to Look For
The fences change with distance. Step back and they read as a solid wall; come close and you see that every board has been cut to the same pointed head. Through the open band along the top, the veranda and railing of the main hall appear as thin horizontal slices. That controlled glimpse is the whole point of the form.
The strut over the gate lintel is worth a look. Most struts of this kind spread sideways, but this one stretches upward, proportioned to the height of the lintel. The difference shows clearly if you stand square on and look up.
The stonework repays attention too. Coursed masonry sets the blocks in level rows, so the horizontal joints run parallel to the line of the fence above. The base was laid new in 1942, dressed to sit comfortably beside halls two centuries older.
Visiting the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences
The area inside the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences, meaning the ground around the main hall, is closed to visitors. The gate is kept shut and cannot be passed through.
Follow the eastern fence north and you arrive in front of the gate, the only spot from which it can be seen square on. The western fence runs close to the path in from the back gate and gives the longer view along its length.
Photography from the grounds is unrestricted. Entry to the precincts is free. Directions for reaching the shrine are given on the Aritoshi Shrine page.
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Q&A
- When were the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences built?
- In 1942, made new for the relocated precincts.
- How large are the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences?
- The gate has an opening of 2.4 metres and each fence runs 24 metres. All are timber with copper-plate roofs.
- Can visitors pass through the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences?
- No. The gate is kept closed and the enclosed area around the main hall is not open.
- Where are the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences?
- The gate stands behind the main hall, with the two fences running along either side of it as far as the rear of the worship hall.
- What is the heritage status of the Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences?
- They form one Registered Tangible Cultural Property, listed on 4 August 2015 with registration number 27-0622.
Basic Information
| Name | Aritoshi Shrine Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences |
|---|---|
| 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 | Gate: timber, copper-plate roof, opening 2.4 metres. East and west fences: timber, copper-plate roof, 24 metres each |
| 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 Rear Gate and East and West Openwork Fences
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010667
- 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
