Shikyakumon Gate

The Shikyakumon is the oldest surviving structure at Menuma Shodenzan Temple, believed to date from the early Edo period. Built without nails, the four-legged gate carries details from the earlier Muromachi period, including carved gegyo wooden pendants under the gables, traditionally thought to ward off fire. Halfway up the gate posts, white marks show the waterline from a devastating 1910 flood when the Tone River burst its banks and submerged the entire temple complex. The simple, quiet appearance of this gate contrasts with the more elaborately decorated Kisomon nearby, making the two worth comparing side by side.