The second gate at the sanctuary front
Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate (住吉大社幸福門, Kōfukumon) is an early Edo-period four-legged gate beside the front of the main sanctuary of Sumiyoshi Taisha in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka, moved to its present site in 1970 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10. It has a gabled copper roof and is 4.5 metres wide.
It stands right next to the Kojumon Gate at the centre of the sanctuary front, so two gates of the same size and form face the approach together. The Kojumon is the main gate that worshippers walk through; the Kofukumon stands beside it.
Ornament taken away
According to the official description, the Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate shares the Kojumon's size and form but uses plain block-and-bracket supports on its posts and only a short straw-cape strut (minozuka) between the lintel and the ridge beam. Where the Kojumon piles up three-bearing brackets, a rainbow beam, a frog-leg strut and a vase-shaped strut, this gate keeps everything restrained.
Seen side by side, the design by subtraction is clear. From a distance they read as twins, since the frame and roof are the same; the closer you get, the quieter the Kofukumon becomes at the post heads and over the doors. The main gate is dressed up and the side gate is not, which makes the difference in rank visible.
It is 4.5 metres wide against the Kojumon's 4.6 metres, almost the same. Built in the early Edo period, it was moved here with the Kojumon in 1970, and the Agency values it in the same terms, as a building that preserves early Edo design within the grounds.
What to look for, and visiting
A plain block-and-bracket support is a single large bearing block on the post with one bracket arm on top. Look at the post heads here, then at the Kojumon's, where three bearing blocks sit in a row, and the difference is immediate. The small strut over the doors is equally modest next to the Kojumon's carvings.
The Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate stands at the front of the main sanctuary and can be seen freely during opening hours, without charge. Opening hours and directions are on the Sumiyoshi Taisha page.
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Q&A
- Where is the Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate?
- Beside the Kojumon Gate at the front of the main sanctuary; the two gates stand together.
- How is the Kofukumon different from the Kojumon?
- Same size and form, but the Kofukumon has plain block-and-bracket supports and a single small strut above the doors, while the Kojumon is richly carved.
- When was the Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate built?
- In the early Edo period. It was moved to its present site together with the Kojumon in 1970.
- Is the Kofukumon a protected building?
- Yes. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
- Can I see the Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate?
- Yes, freely during shrine opening hours, at no charge.
Basic Information
| Name | Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate (住吉大社幸福門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 27-738 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber four-legged gate, gabled copper roof; 4.5 metres wide |
| Owner | Sumiyoshi Taisha (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible during shrine hours; no charge |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Sumiyoshi Taisha Kofukumon Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012412
- Osaka Prefecture — Designation report on Sumiyoshi Taisha, with a list of its protected buildings (Japanese)
- https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/documents/26540/01_sumiyoshitaisya_sitei.pdf
- Sumiyoshi Taisha official site — Architecture
- https://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/about/architect.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
