As I wrote in the previous two posts, hubby and I visited Koyasan or Mount Koya on 17th June. Koyasan is a large temple settlement and a sacred place for Japanese Shingon Buddhism. In the last post I wrote about our visit to Danjo Garan Complex. Today I will write about Daimon Gate on Mount Koya.
From Danjo Garan Complex on Mount Koya, we walked for about 700 meters towards the west and reached Daimon Gate. It is a huge vermilion colored central main gate which is actually the entrance to Mount Koya. At the time of the founding of Koyasan Temple settlement, a Torii gate was built at Tsuzuraori Valley further down about 500 meters from the present site. Daimon Gate was constructed in 1140 at the present site but it burned down from forest fires and lightening. It was rebuilt in 1705. It is a two storied gate with five bays (sections) and three entrances. The gate is 25.1 meters tall, 21 meters wide and 8 meters deep, and has a gabled hipped Irimoya Zukuri architectural style copper-tiled roof. The gate is designated as an important cultural property of Japan. We clicked several photos of the gate from various positions and angles.
Daimon Gate
‘Koyasan’ written on the gate
Beautiful vermilion colored gate
Backside of the gate
It was interesting to note that Daimon Gate was flanked by two fierce looking guardian deities named Kongo Rikishi (also called Nio). These wooden statues are considered to be the second largest such figures in Japan, only after Todaiji Temple. The statue of open-mouthed Agyo Nio was carved by Koi and close-mouthed Ungyo Nio was carved by Uncho. Uncho and Koi were famous sculptors of Buddhist statues during mid-Edo period.
Ungyo Nio
Agyo Nio
Hubby standing next to Agyo Nio
We loved seeing the towering vermilion Daimon Gate. It is located at such a peaceful and mystical place. There were many more temples and structures to see in Koyasan but we decided to visit them some other time. We really enjoyed our visit to Mount Koya.
We saw a cute stone statue of a monk while walking back to the car parking area.
