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Kane no Torii 銅鳥居

Official explanation

This copper torii gate is the first of four important torii gates that Shugendo practitioners must pass as they seek enlightenment on the challenging path to sacred Mt. Sanjogatake.

This first gate is the hosshinomon, or gate of spiritual awakening. Passing through the gates signals the beginning of training for Shugendo practitioners.

Read the full explanation

While torii gates are usually associated with shrines, the pillars stand on two lotus daises, showing that it belongs to a Buddhist temple.

According to legend, the original gate was made using leftover copper from the creation of the massive Great Buddha statue housed inside Todaiji Temple, in nearby Nara. The current gate is a reconstruction dating from the Muromachi period (1336–1573).

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.

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