Saikyoji Temple Great Gate and Tsuiji Wall

The Gate and Walls That Frame the Temple Front

Saikyoji Temple Great Gate and Tsuiji Wall (西教寺大門及び築地塀, Saikyō-ji Ōmon oyobi Tsuiji-bei) is a late Meiji gate and pair of earthen walls (1898 to 1912) at the front of Saikyoji in Saiwai, Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture, and it was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on October 7, 2014.

The Great Gate is a timber yakuimon with a tiled roof, 2.4 metres wide. Tile-capped tsuiji walls of rammed earth extend to either side for a total length of 12 metres. In front of the gate stand the gateposts and iron fence, registered separately.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the gate to the late Meiji period, while Izumi City's heritage guide describes it as a mid-Meiji gate. This article follows the Agency's date.

Clouds and a Pair of Dragons

The Saikyoji Temple Great Gate and Tsuiji Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes how the gate and walls lend dignity to the temple's frontage.

Look at the gable end of the Great Gate. A taiheizuka strut stands on the gable tie-beam, flanked by oigata side panels carved with clouds. Higher up, the panels beside the strut on the ridge beam take the form of two dragons facing each other, a carving the Agency calls powerful.

The tsuiji walls carry two horizontal lines, known as jogi-suji, along their faces. Such lines appear on temple walls and are said to indicate a temple's standing. The wall ends are finished in a shell-like profile, decorated with a carved tie-beam and a kaerumata brace.

What to Look For

Begin on the street. From there you see the gateposts and iron fence with the Great Gate and its walls behind them, a double frontage of stone and iron before timber that makes Saikyoji's entrance unusually striking.

Then look up at the gable. The cloud panels and the twin dragons read better from an angle than head-on, where the depth of the carving shows. At the ends of the tsuiji walls, look for the small carved beams and braces set into the shell-shaped finish.

Visiting the Saikyoji Temple Great Gate and Tsuiji Wall

The Saikyoji Temple Great Gate and Tsuiji Wall is an outdoor structure at the temple entrance, and you can see it from the street. If you enter the precinct, remember that it is in use for services and events. Ask about photography before taking pictures. Directions are on the Saikyoji Temple (Izumi) page.