Niōmon gate

E762195

The Niōmon gate is a traditional Japanese temple entrance guarded by two fierce wooden guardian statues, marking the threshold between the secular world and the sacred precincts.

All labels observed (5)

Label Occurrences
Niōmon gate canonical 4
Nio-mon gate 1
Niōmon (main gate) 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Japanese temple gate
religious architectural element
appearsIn Japanese temple architecture
architecturalStyle traditional Japanese
associatedDeities Kongōrikishi NERFINISHED
commonFeatures decorative carvings
massive wooden structure
painted or lacquered surfaces
tiled or shingled roof
constructionMaterial wood
country Japan
culturalSignificance symbol of protection
symbol of transition from profane to sacred
etymology named after Niō guardian figures NERFINISHED
foundIn Shingon temples
Tendai temples NERFINISHED
Zen temples
guardianStatuesCount 2
guardianStatuesMaterial wood
guardianStatuesPosition one on each side of the passage
guardianStatuesRole protect the temple
ward off evil spirits
guardianStatuesType Niō NERFINISHED
hasAlternativeName Deva gate NERFINISHED
Niō-mon NERFINISHED
hasCulturalHeritageStatus some examples designated Important Cultural Property of Japan
some examples designated National Treasure of Japan
hasFunction boundary between secular and sacred space
temple entrance
hasPart gate doors
roofed gatehouse
supporting pillars
two guardian statues
wooden gate structure
locatedInTheCulturalSphere East Asia NERFINISHED
marksThresholdOf Buddhist temple precincts
relatedConcept sanmon NERFINISHED
torii
religiousTradition Buddhism NERFINISHED
symbolizes guardianship of Buddhist teachings
liminal space
typicalLocation entrance to Buddhist temple complexes
typicalOrientation facing approach path to main hall
typicalRoofType hip-and-gable roof
usedDuring pilgrimage routes

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (8)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ishiyama-dera hasStructure Niōmon gate
Hozomon Gate hasJapaneseName 宝蔵門
subject linked to: Hozomon gate
linked to: Niōmon gate
Miidera (Onjō-ji) hasStructure Niōmon (main gate)
linked to: Niōmon gate
Kawasaki Daishi (Heiken-ji Temple) hasStructure Nio-mon gate
linked to: Niōmon gate
Zenkō-ji hasStructure Niōmon gate
subject linked to: Zenkō-ji Temple
Ishiteji hasStructure Niōmon gate
subject linked to: Temple 51: Ishiteji
Temple 45: Iwayaji hasStructure Niōmon gate
Hōzōmon hasRole inner gate of Sensō-ji
linked to: Niōmon gate