Belfry Gate 楼門

Official explanation

Like the auxiliary worship hall (p. XX), this faded wooden gate from 1318 is a reminder of the formerly deep connection between Buddhism and Shinto. It is a belfry gate of the type often found at Buddhist temples, where the large bells are used to keep time and call the priests to meals or prayer. The gate’s location in the middle of a Shinto shrine is a reminder of the period in which Shinto and Buddhism existed together on the same grounds.

In 1868, Buddhism and Shinto were officially separated, and the bell was removed and sold. Though now lacking a bell, the belfry gate is still a fine example of a “four-legged gate” (shikyakumon) with intricate, two-stepped wooden bracketing beneath the eaves and a roof shingled with cypress.

Read the full explanation

A wooden plaque on the upper level is inscribed with four Chinese kanji characters that together mean “immeasurably old, but ever new.” These four characters were handwritten by former prime minister Yamagata Aritomo (1838–1922). They capture Isonokami Jingū’s identity as one of the oldest shrines in Japan and a place of restoration and renewal.

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.