The Art of Japanese Architecture. David Young
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first project was to restore the Main Hall that had been destroyed several centuries earlier. There were no extant drawings, but fortunately the temple possessed a Heian Period document that described the original temple complex. On the basis of this and other evidence, such as an archaeological excavation of the original site, the Main Hall was back in its original position in 1976, after nine years of intensive effort.
The giant vermilion torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Itsukushima (or Miyajima), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gate appears to float when the tide is in.
Status and Function
For many centuries Japan has been a hierarchical society, with considerable emphasis upon status, authority, and power. Differences in architectural styles provide a material expression of these differences in rank. To some extent, the history of Japanese traditional architecture can be viewed in terms of the contrast between the architecture of the élite and the architecture of common people. The former is exemplified by palaces and villas, as well as the temples and shrines patronized by rulers. The latter can be seen in farmhouses and the shop-dwellings of merchants. These élite and commoner traditions are, however, not immutable. They sometimes come together, as in the case of a wealthy farmer who includes a formal Shoin style room, associated with élite 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 28–9). 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. 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.
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.
Beyond the torii (Shinto gate) is the Saidaimon (Large West Gate) of Usa Jingū in Kyushu (see pages 50–1). Remodeled around 1592 in the Momoyama Period, this colorful gate is in the kirizuma style (entrance on the long side rather than the gable end). The Chinese style pitched roof (karahafu) is covered with hinoki bark.
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.
The entrance to the compounds of most major Shinto shrines consists of a Buddhist style gate, e.g. Heian Shrine, Kyoto City.
Ornate Karamon Gate at Nishi Honganji, a Pure Land Temple in Kyoto.
Gate at Hirosaki Castle in northern Japan.
Torii gate at one of the subsidiary shrines at the Gekū compound of Ise Jingū.
A good example of the use of gates to symbolize power is the samurai gate. The third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, required that all daimyo 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.