Shikyakumon Gate 四脚門

Official explanation

The Shikyakumon Gate is the oldest surviving structure at Menuma Shodenzan Temple. It is believed to have been built in the early Edo period (1603–1867). The gate is supported by four posts (shikyakumon means four-legged gate) and was constructed without nails. It has details typical of the Muromachi period (1392–1573), such as the carved gegyo (decorative wooden pendants) under the gables that act as talismans against fire, and carvings on the ends of the beams. Compared to the larger Kisomon, the Shikyakumon has a simple appearance, and is simply decorated.

White marks halfway up the gate posts indicate the water level during a major flood in 1910, when the nearby Tone River broke its banks and flooded the temple complex and surrounding villages. The gate is also called the chumon (middle gate).

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.