-
Top
-
introduction
- Tōdaimon
Great East Gate
The stately East Gate connects the temple’s Western and Eastern Precincts. Its origin is unclear, but artifacts discovered during repairs in 1934 show that it was once a gate facing south on the east side of Kagami Pond and was later moved in the Heian period (794–1185) to be a gate that allowed for east-west passage. The East Gate is a remarkable example of Nara period (710–794) architecture, and it is supported by three ridgepoles on both sides and in the center.
Tsuijibei
These walls were built using a construction method called ''rammed earth,'' in which clay is tamped down layer by layer with sticks. At Horyuji Temple, the walls surrounding the sub-temple within the precincts separate each area, and the walls that extend to the left and right of the south main gate are called Ogaki in particular. Each layer of the wall is gradually eroded by wind and rain, creating stripes and forming part of the historic landscape.