A two-storey gate at the start of the approach
The Minobusan Kuonji Sanmon Gate (身延山久遠寺三門, Sanmon) is a two-storey gate of 1907 facing south at the start of the approach to the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
The temple explains that its name stands for the three gates of liberation in Buddhist teaching: emptiness, signlessness and wishlessness. A plaque reading "Minobusan", written by the 79th abbot Nichiji, hangs on the gate. Walk through and the Bodaitei begins, the 287 stone steps that climb to the main hall.
Zen-style brackets, stacked twice
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Minobusan Kuonji Sanmon Gate as a two-storey timber structure with a footprint of 295 square metres. The front is 5 bays wide and the middle 3 are open as passageways, with a roof over each storey.
The roof needs a careful reading. The structure field of the record simply says tiled, while the commentary describes copper sheet formed in the shape of hongawara, the classic pattern of round and flat tiles. In other words, the commentary points to metal made to look like a tiled roof.
Each storey has its own bracket system. Below, 3-stepped bracket sets with carved beam ends fill the spaces between the posts and carry double eaves of parallel rafters. Above, the brackets gain tail rafters and the rafters fan out, a hallmark of the Zen style of temple building. The agency calls the gate large in scale, finely made and a good modern example of the Zen-style two-storey gate. The stair houses on either side each show a cusped katomado window to the front.
What to look for, and visiting
Approach the Minobusan Kuonji Sanmon Gate from the south and look up, first at the Minobusan plaque, then at the eaves. Parallel rafters below and fanned rafters above make the clearest sign of the Zen style.
The temple website gives no information on public access to the upper storey. Photography outdoors is unrestricted, so take a moment with the stair houses and their windows before starting up the Bodaitei. Hours and directions for the temple are on the Minobusan Kuonji page.
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Q&A
- When was the Minobusan Kuonji Sanmon Gate built?
- In 1907.
- What does the name of the Sanmon refer to?
- According to the temple, it stands for the three gates of liberation: emptiness, signlessness and wishlessness.
- Who wrote the plaque on the Sanmon?
- The 79th abbot, Nichiji, wrote the "Minobusan" plaque that hangs on the gate.
- What is the roof of the Sanmon made of?
- The agency commentary describes copper sheet shaped like hongawara tiles; its structure field simply says tiled.
- When was the Sanmon registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Sanmon Gate (身延山久遠寺三門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3567 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-128 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Two-storey timber; roof recorded as tiled (commentary: copper sheet in tile form); footprint 295 square metres; 5 bays wide |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Walk through and view from outside (grounds free; no notice of upper-storey access) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Sanmon Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012352
- 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
