who includes a formal Shoin style room, associated with elite dwellings, in his farmhouse.
Differences in architectural styles are also associated with differences in function. Thus the styles of a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple can be quite distinct, despite the fact that they both are religious edifices. Here again, however, the differences should not be overemphasized. Shinto and Buddhist architecture often influenced each other, and at one time the two religions were even combined, creating an eclectic style of religious architecture.
The structure that most concretely indicates status and function is the gate. Gates have practical significance in terms of controlling access to spaces. They also have symbolic significance in that their design, size, and materials indicate something about the wealth and power of their owners or the people who enter. A few examples are described below.
A torii is a gate without doors that marks the entrance to a Shinto shrine precinct. Literally, torii means "where the birds are." Some scholars have suggested that originally torii may have provided a perch for sacred birds, such as the chickens which played a role in a famous myth about the sun goddess, the ancestress of the imperial line. Regardless of the origins of torii, their main function is to provide a dividing line between the exterior profane world and the interior sacred space where the kami dwell (see pages 18-19). Torii are constructed of wood, stone, or metal and are sometimes painted red. They vary in size from small structures, such as those at the entrance to a neighborhood shrine, to enormous edifices that mark the entry to a major Shinto compound. After the coming of Buddhism, many major shrines adopted a Buddhist style gate, retaining one or more torii to mark the approach.
Early temples in Japan were based on the Chinese custom of enclosing important buildings in a fenced compound with a gate on the south. There are three basic types of temple gates. The first, a single-story gate, can be constructed in different sizes and can vary considerably in terms of the complexity of the decorations. For example, a karamon is a relatively small single-story gate with a curved Chinese style roof and ornate decorations. The second, a rōmon is a two-story gate with a single roof. Thirdly, a nijūmon is a two-story structure with a double roof. Rōmon and nijūmon often have guardian deities in alcoves on both sides of the entrance.
Examples of Remodeling
The Lecture Hall at Tōshōdaiji Temple in Nara underwent a move and was successively remodeled.
A model of the eighth-century Higashi Chōshūden (government workers' building), at the Heijōkō palace. The model is located at the Heijō Palace Site Museum in Nara.
A model of Higashi Choshūden after it was moved to Tōshōdaiji Temple in the eighth century and remodeled as the Lecture Hall. The model is located at the Heijō Palace Site Museum in Nara.
The Lecture Hall as it appears today.
There is no set design for garden gates and they can be made with a variety of different materials.
Temple and Shrine Gates
The importance of a temple or shrine is often indicated by the size and complexity of its gate(s), of which there are three basic types: single-story gates, two-story gates with a single roof, and two-story gates with a double roof.
Munemon: two posts, one story, e.g. Enshōji Temple, Nara Prefecture.
Shikyakumon: four posts, one story, e.g. Enryakuji Temple, Shiga Prefecture.
Yatsuashimon: eight posts, one story, e.g. Ishiyamadera Temple, Shiga Prefecture.
Rōmon: eight or twelve posts, two stories, one roof, e.g. Tōdaiji Temple, Nara City.
Nijūmon: eight or twelve posts, two stories, two roofs, e.g. Chionin Temple, Kyoto City.
Nijūmon originally were used in large Nara Period temple complexes such as Tōdaiji and Yakushiji, but are also typical of later Jōdo and Zen temples and monasteries. The rōmon, used in both temples and many major post-Buddhist shrines, was an adaptation of the nijūmon in which the roof above the first floor was replaced by a simple balcony. The choice of which gate to use depended upon the status and function of the temple.
A good example of the use of gates to symbolize power is the samurai gate. The third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, required that all daimyo who were scheduled to receive an official shogunal visit (onari) at their Edo residence must prepare for the occasion by building special facilities, the most important of which was an elaborate gate known as onarimon.
None of these Edo onarimon have survived, but the style is exemplified by the karamon of Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. Originally an imperial messenger gate at Hideyoshi's Momoyama castle at Fushimi, the gate was moved to Nishi Honganji when Hideyoshi's castle was dismantled. It was rebuilt for a visit by Iemitsu in 1632. The emperor followed a similar custom. When he scheduled a visit to a temple or palace, or sent a delegate on his behalf, special facilities, including an imperial gate, had to be prepared.
Shrine, temple, and samurai gates are largely symbolic, in contrast to castle gates, which had great practical significance in terms of defense. Many castles were built in the Momoyama Period (1573-1600) when Japan was in the process of being unified militarily. If an invader managed to cross the moat, he had to pass through the main gate (Ōtemon) and follow a labyrinthine passage that included many gates and dead ends. There are three basic types of castle gates. The first, kōraimon (Korean style gate), has a gabled roof resting on posts. The second, uzumimon (embedded gate), is built directly into the walls of the castle, while the third, yaguramon, is a wooden structure with a hip-and-gable roof resting on a stone wall. Uzumimon gates, basically holes in the wall, could be sealed with dirt and gravel if the enemy attempted to force its way inside, and yaguramon gates could be barred with heavy wooden doors reinforced with iron plates. The main gate played both a defensive and a symbolic role in that its size and structure provided an indication of a daimyo's influence and wealth.
The giant vermilion torii of Itsukushima Shrine, on Miyajima Island, appears to float in the water. The present structure, supported by four "legs", is 16 meters high and dates from 1875.
In the Edo Period, commoners normally were forbidden to build residential gates. When average citizens began building gates for their private homes in the Meiji Period, they tended to be quite imposing to balance the large roofs of traditional houses. In recent years, there has been a tendency to construct residences with a more open and friendly design. A walled compound with an entrance gate, however, continues to be a popular status marker. Traditional style houses, as well as some modern houses, have small gardens, frequently set
