7-465: The rōmon ( 楼門 , lit. tower gate) is one of two types of two-storied gates used in Japan (the other one being the nijūmon , see photo in the gallery below). Even though it was originally developed by Buddhist architecture , it is now used at both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines . Its otherwise normal upper story is inaccessible and therefore offers no usable space. It is in this respect similar to
14-474: A balustrade that skirts the entire upper story. Therefore, while the nijūmon has a series of brackets ( tokyō ) supporting the roof's eaves both at the first and at the second story, in the rōmon at the first floor these brackets just support the balcony, and have a different structure. The tokyō are usually three-stepped ( mitesaki ), but at the first floor they lack tail rafters. Rōmon structure can vary greatly in its details. The upper area behind
21-458: The rōmon ) and can be found at most Japanese Buddhist temples . This gate is distinguishable from its relative by the roof above the first floor which skirts the entire upper story, absent in a rōmon . Accordingly, it has a series of brackets ( tokyō ) supporting the roof's eaves both at the first and at the second story. In a rōmon , the brackets support a balcony. The tokyō are usually three-stepped ( mitesaki ) with tail rafters at
28-404: The tahōtō (a two-storied pagoda) and the multi-storied pagoda, neither of which offers, in spite of appearances, usable space beyond the first story. In the past, the name also used to be sometimes applied to double-roof gates. This extremely common single-roof gate was developed from the double-roofed nijūmon , replacing the flanking roof above the first floor with a very shallow balcony with
35-558: The Tokugawa clan 's funerary temple , has a gate which is 5 x 3 bays. Smaller ones are 3 x 2 bays and have one, two or even three entrances. Of all temple gate types, the nujūmon has the highest status, and is accordingly used for important gates like the chūmon (middle gate) of ancient temples as Hōryū-ji. The sanmon , the gate of a Zen temple of highest prestige, is usually a nijūmon . Some nijūmon are called chūmon ( 中門 , lit. middle gate) because they are situated between
42-503: The balustrade for example can have muntined windows or a single window in the center bay . Side bays can be covered with white plaster. Rōmon usually, but not always, have a hip-and-gable ( irimoya ) roof. Dimensions go from Tōdai-ji 's 5 bays to the more common 3-bays, down to even one bay. Nij%C5%ABmon Nijūmon ( 二重門 , lit. two-story gate) is one of two types of two-story mons presently used in Japan (the other one being
49-558: The third step. A nijūmon is normally covered by a hip-and-gable roof . Unlike a rōmon , whose second story is inaccessible and unusable, a nijūmon has stairs leading to the second story. Some gates have at their ends two sanrō ( 山廊 ) , 2 x 1 bay structures housing the stairs. The second story of a nijūmon usually contains statues of Shakyamuni or of goddess Kannon , and of the 16 Rakan , and hosts periodical religious ceremonies. Large nijūmon' are 5 bays wide, 2 bays deep and have three entrances, however Tokyo's Zōjō-ji ,
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