shitennouji torii　四天王寺鳥居

KEY WORD :　architecture / shrines

A stone entrance-gate *torii 鳥居, of the myoujin type *myoujin torii 明神鳥居 constructed in 1294 in front of the west gate at Shitennouji 四天王寺, in Osaka. The girth of the pillars is large in proportion to their height and they are made in two sections. They have flat tops, are without any inward incline, and are considerably greater in diameter than the widths of the top and secondary lintels *kasagi 笠木 and *shimaki 島木. The top lintel is made of a wide, rather flat stone with a slightly peaked top, and is cut in five sections connected by lap joints *aigaki 相欠 . From the center, it extends 3.0 m to the right and 2.4 m to the left. The thickened and prominently curved ends extend a short way beyond the end of the secondary lintel. The secondary lintel is sheathed with copper. Its outer face is covered with barely legible inscriptions. The tie beam *nuki 貫, is made in three sections: a center one and two outer ones, all penetrating the pillars at a minimal distance. Wedges *kusabi 楔, are not used. Only the center section is covered with copper sheeting. The outer parts extend slightly past the ends of the secondary lintel. The ends of the horizontal members have no easily perceptible incline. A decorative copper covered framed panel *gakubuchi 額縁, is attached to the centers of the tie beam and secondary lintel. The inscriptions date from 1326.

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