Sakashitamon Gate 坂下門

Official explanation

Shikashitamon is the first gate to Toshogu’s inner shrine (okunomiya), where the mausoleum of the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), is located. During the Edo period (1603–1867), only the shogun could pass through this gate, climb the 207 stairs to the mausoleum, and pray at the inner shrine; it was closed at all other times. The gate and the shrine are now open to the public.

All the gate’s decorations have meaning. For example, the raised design on the circular ends of the roof tiles is the Tokugawa family crest: it consists of three leaves of aoi (wild ginger) with their tips pointing to the center. On the lintel are chrysanthemums, auspicious flowers associated with longevity. Above the lintel are intricately carved and painted cranes. According to Japanese mythology, cranes are thought to live for a thousand years. Since they are also believed to carry the souls of the deceased to paradise, cranes represent a link between this world and the next.

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The gate was built in 1636. Although its roof tiles and metal fittings have been replaced and its wooden surfaces have been repainted, the basic structure has remained unchanged. Sakashitamon is designated an Important Cultural Property.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.