Main Gate, Fushimi Inari Taisha

This romon-style (“two-story”) gate was reconstructed in 1588 using funds donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi the year after he had prayed to Inari for the recovery of his mother. It was later relocated nine meters westwards when the area in front of the shrine hall was expanded in 1694, and the stone steps were constructed in front. The existing north and south flanking corridors formed by roofed mud walls on either side were rebuilt at the same time into places for hanging votive tablets. The roof was covered with planks following its reconstruction, but was changed to cypress bark shingles in 1881. When the gate was dismantled for a full-scale restoration in 1974, 385 years after it was rebuilt in the 16th century, an ink document was discovered. This document provided proof that this was the second-oldest building in the Fushimi Inari complex, after the Main Hall.
From their carvings, the flanking corridors are believed to have been built around about 1840, and subsequent repairs were done at the same time as the main romon gate. Their roofs were also redone in cypress bark shingles at the same time as the gate.

Romon (Important Cultural Property)
Structure: Hip-and-gable roof shingled with cypress bark
Constructed: 1589
North and South Flanking Corridors (Important Cultural Properties)
Structure: Gabled roofs shingled with cypress bark
Constructed: Mid-Edo period
Kyoto City