Date : 1775
Dimensions : 30 m high
Material : Wood
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Place(s) of worship
Element of architecture (Porte)
Area related
Kamakura (Japon)
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| Description |  |
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The second (inner) gate about 70 meters inside the Somon is the two-story, 30-meter high Sanmon, which was rebuilt in 1775 by Priest Bansetsu (1697-1769) at the time he was the 201st chief priest. The copper-roofed structure was strong enough to survive the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, but repaired recently in 1996. An Important Cultural Asset designated by the Prefectural Government. A tablet hanging above the gate shows the name of the Temple, or Kencho Kokoku Zenji, and were written by Emperor Gofukakusa {go-foo-kah-koo-sah} (1243-1304), which indicates that the Temple was once patronized by the Imperial Court. Installed on the second floor of the gate are the statues of Five-Hundred Buddha's Disciples, or Arhat in Sanskrit., who attained the highest level of Buddhist learning and enlightenment through training. To be precise, there are 489 bronze-cast statuettes of Rakan ranging from 15 to 30 centimeters tall, and wearing a host of different aspects such as joy, anger and pity to tender smiles. In the center of the altar is a 44.5-centimeter-tall bronze statue of Shaka Nyorai {sha-kah nyo-rye} (Sakyamuni in Skt.). All of them were cast or made during 1830 to 1860. Unfortunately they are not open to the occasional visitors.
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