View on the San-mon main gate and a stone bridge at Chionin buddhist temple in the Higashiyama district in Kyoto.
Chionin is one of the largest temple complexes in Japan and an important religious headquarters. It is the head temple of the Jodo Sect which was initiated by Honen Jonin of Yoshimizu Zenbo (temple of the Zen sect).
The gate of Chionin was built by Tokugawa Hidetada. Construction was started in 1619 and completed two years later.
The San-mon gate still stands and has been designated a Japanese National Treasure. At 24 meters (79 feet) tall, it is Japan’s largest temple gate.
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Old Photos of Japan aims to be your personal museum for Japan's visual heritage and to bring the experiences of everyday life in old Japan to you.
To enhance our understanding of Japanese culture and society I track down, acquire, archive, and research images of everyday life, and give them context.
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Kjeld Duits
Reference for Citations
Duits, Kjeld (). Kyoto 1890s: San-mon Gate at Chionin, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on September 6, 2026 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/50/san-mon-gate-at-chionin
Jack Blue
姿なく 星さえ果てる 雲の森
水面に響く 八重の山影
sugata naku
hoshi sae hateru
kumo no mori
minamo ni hibiku
yae no yamakage
No shadow twinkles
and every star fades away
in the leafy clouds
if mountains of canticles
always whirl on the water
geen schaduw fonkelt
en de sterren vervagen
in het wolkenbos
als bergen van lofliedjes
op het water warrelen
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