A gate before the Sanmaido
The Minobusan Kuonji Zuimon Gate (身延山久遠寺瑞門, Zuimon) is a gate of 1953 south-east of the Sanmaido on the high ground of the Nishidani valley at Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as the gate that closes off the south-east side of the Sanmaido, with walls running out to left and right to form the formal front of the hall. It is a yakuimon, a gate type in which rear posts stand behind the main door posts and one gabled roof covers both; this one is 1 bay wide with a single opening.
Built heavy
The record gives a timber gate with a tiled roof, 2.7 metres wide, with side walls. The gabled roof is laid with pantiles.
Tie beams lock the main posts to the rear posts. On a head plate, large bearing blocks and boat-shaped bracket arms carry the eave beams, and the ridge runs midway between the main and rear posts. Everything from the posts to the brackets is cut thick, and in the agency's words the Minobusan Kuonji Zuimon Gate gives the Sanmaido a weighty front.
What to look for, and visiting
Look at the Minobusan Kuonji Zuimon Gate together with the Sanmaido it fronts: the plain, heavy timbers of the gate set off the dense carving on the porch of the hall. Note, too, how simply the eaves are carried, with nothing but a boat-shaped arm on each bearing block.
The gate stands in the open and can be photographed freely. The temple website does not explain the gate or its name. 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 Zuimon Gate
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Q&A
- Where is the Minobusan Kuonji Zuimon Gate?
- On the high ground of the Nishidani valley, closing off the south-east side of the Sanmaido.
- What type of gate is the Zuimon?
- A yakuimon, 1 bay wide with a single opening, with a gabled tiled roof and walls to either side.
- How wide is the Zuimon?
- It is 2.7 metres wide.
- When was the Zuimon built?
- In 1953.
- When was the Zuimon registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Zuimon Gate (身延山久遠寺瑞門) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3620 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-134 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, tiled roof; 2.7 metres wide; 1 bay with a single opening; side walls |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open to view (outdoors; photography allowed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Zuimon Gate
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012358
- 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
