A koraimon gate on the south side of the main area
The Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate and Gatekeeper's Lodge (身延山久遠寺甘露門及び門番所, Kanromon oyobi Monbansho) is a gate of 1868 with an attached lodge on the south side of the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
Kanro means "sweet dew", a Buddhist image for the teaching. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records that the gate was moved to its present site in 1941; neither the agency nor the temple says where it stood before.
Posts that carry the ridge
The Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate is a koraimon, a compact gate type with a gabled roof over its main posts, here covered in hongawara tiles. It is 4.5 metres wide. Wing walls extend to either side, and the structure field of the agency record places the small wicket door on the east.
The framing is direct. On each main post, a large bearing block and a long bracket arm carry the ridge beam itself, and the ends of the tie beams and arms are cut in the shape of carved beam ends.
The lodge is a hip-and-gable building of 12 square metres, also roofed in hongawara tiles and joined to the back of the gate on the east side. The agency calls the pair large in scale and dignified, a fitting front entrance.
What to look for, and visiting
See the Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate from both sides. From outside, the wing walls spread its front wide; from inside, you can see how the lodge meets the gate at the back.
Look up at the tops of the main posts, where the bearing blocks take the ridge. The temple website does not mention any public opening of the lodge. Photography outdoors is unrestricted. Hours and directions for the temple are on the Minobusan Kuonji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamanashi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate and Gatekeeper's Lodge
- [ Mt. Fuji & Lake Kawaguchiko Day Tours ]
Q&A
- Where is the Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate?
- On the south side of the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji.
- When was the Kanromon built?
- In 1868; it was moved to its present site in 1941.
- What kind of gate is the Kanromon?
- A koraimon with a gabled roof of hongawara tiles, 4.5 metres wide, with wing walls and a wicket door.
- What is the gatekeeper's lodge at the Kanromon like?
- A small hip-and-gable building of 12 square metres joined to the back of the gate on the east side.
- When was the Kanromon registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Kanromon Gate and Gatekeeper's Lodge (身延山久遠寺甘露門及び門番所) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4252 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-126 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Gate: timber, tiled roof, 4.5 metres wide, with wing walls and an east wicket; lodge: timber, tiled roof, footprint 12 square metres |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Gate open to pass through (grounds free; no notice of lodge opening) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Kanromon Gate and Gatekeeper's Lodge
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012350
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — Guide to the grounds (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/precincts/
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — FAQ (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/faq/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
