Rōmons in Shinto Shrines

Rmon is a traditional two-storied gate found in a place of worship in Japan. "R"means "multi-storied", and "mon" means "gate" in Japanese. A typical rmon in Japan is constructed with wood; massive and decorative; and has a large hip-and-gable roof and a wraparound small balcony with railings. Rmons that are noted for their artistic beauty and historical significance tend to belong to Shinto shrines. Yet no one can answer such simple question as how many rmons exist in Shinto shrines in Japan. This very first book about Shinto rmons has two parts. Part 1 is about reporting results of my search for existing Shinto rmons across Japan. First, I explain the unique and systematic techniques I used to search for existing rmons. Then I report findings from my search. Results are organized by various topics, such as time of construction, geographic location, relative spatial position, notable exterior characteristics, zuijin statues, and preservation of rmons. Findings are primarily aggregated at the group level, but notable examples of individual cases (specific rmons) are also provided. In short, Part 1 is designed to answer such basic questions as "What is rmon?" "What do they look like?" and "Where are they located?" Part 2 is about lost Shinto rmons. The existing rmons are only a small part of the rmons that have ever been built, and on average in every several years a rmon is lost due to fire, earthquake, old age, among other reasons. Part 2 consists of a collection of fascinating stories and trivia of lost Shinto rmons. These stories and trivia relate to specific shrines, famous persons, or historic events, and are organized chronologically. Examples of topics include "Iwashimizu Hachimang - Eight Generations of Rmons", "Kashiwahgi Jinja - Musical Chairs of Rmons", "The Toyotomi Clan vs. the Tokugawa Clan - Who is the Rmon Shogun?", "End of the Syncretism - Did Shinto Shrines Lose Rmons?" and "A Forgotten Lost Shinto Rmon Overseas." This book also contains 12 tables, 8 figures, a glossary of Shinto gates, and bibliography. Finally, the appendix lists all 225 existing rmons, their locations, structural designs, and historic preservation designations.