Saikyoji Temple Founder's Hall Side Gate

A Large Hira-Karamon West of the Founder's Hall

The Saikyoji Temple Founder's Hall Side Gate (西教寺宗祖大師殿通用門, Saikyōji Shūso Daishiden Tsūyōmon) is a hira-karamon gate built in 1917 on a raised base west of the Founder's Hall at Saikyoji in Sakamoto, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on August 28, 2001.

It is a single-bay hira-karamon with earthen walls bending away on both sides. The national record gives an opening 3.0 meters wide and includes side walls totaling 3 meters and earthen walls totaling 43 meters. Like the Karamon Gate, it was built in the Taishō-era improvements. It is registration number 25-0163.

Why the Side Gate Was Registered

The Saikyoji Temple Founder's Hall Side Gate was registered under the criterion for buildings that serve as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that as a service gate it is simply made, but it is large, and a big frog-leg strut under the ridge is the core of its design.

Rafters are widely spaced. The Agency's description gives the roofing as cypress bark, while the structure field says tile, the same split as for the Karamon Gate in the same compound.

What to Look For

Look at the big frog-leg strut beneath the ridge from the front. In a gate pared back in ornament, this one oversized element sets the tone of the whole.

Compare it with the Karamon Gate to the east. The main gate is richly carved; the service gate relies on scale and a single strut. Opposite stands the hexagonal Founder's Hall Water Pavilion.

Visiting the Side Gate

The exterior of the Saikyoji Temple Founder's Hall Side Gate can be seen from the grounds. Opening hours, admission and directions for the temple are on the Saikyoji Temple page.