A Guide to Kyoto’s Wooden and Traditional Architecture
Mon (門), or gate structures within a Religious complex are important architecture in itself, as there is a heavy emphasis on how one approaches and experiences when entering a temple or shrine complex. There are a number of architectural style when it comes to such gate structures. The gates in Tofuku-ji and Chion-in, for example, are some of the largest wooden structures one can see in the city. But a lot of the gate structures were also built in a smaller and more intimate scale.
The gate of Honen-in temple (法然院山門) is one such example. It is one of the few gates that was built in the style of suikya (数寄屋造り). The rustic design and material help blend the structure with the lush green environment of the foothills. With its distinctive moss covered thatch roof, the gate marks the entrance to a rather unassuming, tucked away temple in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto.
Even though Suikoushya International Craft School is now up and running in France, our Kyoto workshop will still continue to operate and we want to welcome you when you’re in Kyoto!
Here in Kyoto you can explore the many different wooden architectural treasures of Japan!
