The Nio-mon Gate (The Deva Gate) In Nakayama Hokekyo-ji

中山法華経寺hokekyou-ji upon nakayama

The Nio-mon Gate (The Deva Gate) In Nakayama Hokekyo-ji

The Niomon Gate (The Deva Gate ) In Nakayama Hokekyo-ji

The Niomon Gate of Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple could be seen from JR Shimousa Nakayama Station, passing through Keisei Nakayama Station and the Soumon Gate, the giant red gate appears on the top of the slope under the sky. The Niomon gate is also called 'Akamon (the red gate)' and 'Sanmon (the triple or temple's gate). A hundred years ago, the gate could be seen from the northern part of Gyotoku area as there were no tall buildings. There are no records when this gate was built but it could be there in Edo period as it was fixed in late Edo period and it was drawn in Edo Meisho Zue a guide book published in late Edo period. The framed letters 'Sho-Chuzan' on the center of the gate was written by the famous artist in early Edo Period, Koetsu Honami. It is a cultural property designated by Ichikawa city.
Behind the Niomon gate, there are many cherry trees planted lined along the approach road, and thousands of visitors come to see the cherry blossoms in spring. Why don't you visit it?

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Koetsu Honami And The Framed Letters On The Gate

Koetsu Honami（1558-1637）

Koetsu Honami was an well-talented artist lived in Kyoto from Azuchi-Momoyama to Edo Period.

Koetsu was born in a branch familly of the distinguished sword appraiser of Honami Family. He is the first son of Koji Honami. His popular name is jirosaburo, later he was named Koetsu, and his pseudonym was Jitokusai, Tokuyusai and Taikyoan

He worke on his family business of sharpening and appraising swords, and he also had some deep knowledge and distinguished skills of the calligraphy, the ceramic art, the gold sprinkled lacquer ware and the tea ceremony. He created the his own school to teach the calligraphy, so he wrote a lot of tankas on the writing paper which Sotatsu Tawaraya and some artists had painted on, so they took the symphony in color. Therefore he was entitled 'Kanei-no-sanhitsu' (the great calligrapher in Kanei period ) along with Tadanobu Konoe and Akinori Shokado. 'Kingindeishitaesikishi' possessed in Yamatobunkakan in Nara city is famous. Two ceramic tea bowls 'Fujisan' and 'Amekumo' were the masterpieces of his works, and they are the National Treasures. On the gold sprinkled lacquer ware, he adopted the classics a lot, he used leads, tin and blue shells on 'Funabashi-makie-suzuri-bako' (the national treasure in Tokyo Metropolitan Museum). He created his school on the ceramic arts called 'Koetsu-rakuyaki' and japan arts called 'Koetsu-makie'. And he published 'Sagabon-Isemonogatari' printed by magnificent kana letters with Soan Sumikura. He learned 'the tea ceremony' by Oribe Furuta, then he was devoted to Jou Takeno's school.

Koetsu was given the land in Takagamine in north Kyoto in 1615 by Ieyashu Tokugawa, the first Shogun of Edo Shogunate, then he created the art village there with his family and his followers together.

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The Cherry Blossoms at the Niomon Gate in Nakayama Hokekyoji

In spring, thousands of visitors pass through the gate and enjoy seeing the cherry blossome.

full of cherry blossoms in front of Niomon

cherry blossoms blooming over the approach

引用・抜粋および参考
正中山法華経寺誌
日蓮宗各本山名所図会
江戸名所図会６　ちくま学芸文庫
ブリタニカ国際大百科事典
デジタル大辞林
クロニック戦国全史　　　

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The Access to The Nio-mon Gate In Nakayama Hokekyoji

The Nio-mon Gate (The Deva Gate) In Nakayama Hokekyoji Temple

The map in Nakayama Hokekyoji

Please click below for printing!
PDF of the Map in Nakayama Hokekyoji

The map near Hokekyoji and Kaii Higashiyama Memorial Hall

PDF of the map near Hokekyoji and Kaii Higashiyama

The map to the landmarks where Kafu Nagai introduced in his book

PDF of the map of the noted spots where Kafu Nagai visited

Yonsokumon Gate in Nakayama Hokekyouji Temple has great accessibilities from both Narita and Haneda International Airport.
From Narita International Airport, take Keisei-line and get off Keisei-Nakayama Sta, take minimally 40 minutes from Narita Airport.. And also take JR Sobu-express line, transfer the line at Funabashi to Sobu-Local line, get off Shimousa-Nakayama Sta.
From Haneda International Airport, take Keikyu-line bound to Narita, and get off Keisei-Nakayama Sta.
From Tokyo Sta, take Sobu-Express line bound to Chiba or Narita, transfer the line to Sobu-Local line bound to Chiba, Tsudanuma, or Nishi-Funabashi at Ichikawa Sta, get off Shimousa-Nakayama Sta.
From Akihabara Sta, take Sobu line bound to Chiba, get off Shimousa-Nakayama Sta.
Take 2 minute walk from Keisei-Nakayama Sta, and take 5 minutes walk from Shimousa-Nakayama Sta.
2-10-1 Nakayama, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba-pref, Japan

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