Tamagaki
Encyclopedia
A is a fence surrounding a Japanese
Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, tamagaki have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and — in recent years — concrete. Depending on the material and technique utilized, such fences have a variety of names: made of roughly finished thick boards, made of unpeeled or unstripped boards or logs,, and ,, made of vertically set thin strips of bamboo or wood,
The simple fences of ancient and medieval times became more elaborate in pre-modern Japan with the addition of roofs, wainscoting and grille
s between posts. An example is the 1636 around the main sanctuary of Nikkō Tōshō-gū
.
If the enclosed area is surrounded by multiple fences, generally the innermost one is called . The of Ise Grand Shrine is surrounded by four fences. From outside to inside these are: , outer and inner tamagaki and mizugaki. At Ise these fences separate areas for worshipers of different status. All visitors are allowed to pass a gate through the outermost itagaki fence, while traditionally only members of the imperial family were allowed to pass through the second fence, the outer tamagaki. Today this privilege has been extended to elected representatives. Local mayors and members of assemblies worship at the inner eaves of the outer tamagaki, representatives of prefectural governments, officials of Ise Shrine and Living National Treasure
s stand half way between the outer and inner tamagaki. The prime minister
members of both houses of the diet
and other senior elected officials are allowed to just outside of the gateway to the inner tamagaki. Entrance to the inner tamagaki is limited to members of the imperial family and only the emperor
and the empress
are generally allowed to enter through the innermost mizugaki fence.An exception is made for the crown prince and princess who, on the occasion of their marriage, can enter the area enclosed by the mizugaki.
The tamagaki and the traditional torii
gate are sometimes replaced by a covered corridor called kairō
and a rōmon
gate. Originally Buddhist, neither was initially typical of shrines, but in time they often came to play the role of the more traditional tamagaki. A famous example is Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū in Kyoto prefecture
. This phenomenon was partly caused by the strong influence of Buddhism on kami
worship due to the syncretic
fusion of Buddhism and local religion (shinbutsu shūgō
).
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Shinto shrine, a sacred area or an imperial palace. Believed to have been initially just a brushwood barrier of trees, tamagaki have since been made of a variety of materials including wood, stone and — in recent years — concrete. Depending on the material and technique utilized, such fences have a variety of names: made of roughly finished thick boards, made of unpeeled or unstripped boards or logs,, and ,, made of vertically set thin strips of bamboo or wood,
The simple fences of ancient and medieval times became more elaborate in pre-modern Japan with the addition of roofs, wainscoting and grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
s between posts. An example is the 1636 around the main sanctuary of Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Nikko Tosho-gu
is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada...
.
If the enclosed area is surrounded by multiple fences, generally the innermost one is called . The of Ise Grand Shrine is surrounded by four fences. From outside to inside these are: , outer and inner tamagaki and mizugaki. At Ise these fences separate areas for worshipers of different status. All visitors are allowed to pass a gate through the outermost itagaki fence, while traditionally only members of the imperial family were allowed to pass through the second fence, the outer tamagaki. Today this privilege has been extended to elected representatives. Local mayors and members of assemblies worship at the inner eaves of the outer tamagaki, representatives of prefectural governments, officials of Ise Shrine and Living National Treasure
Living National Treasure
Living National Treasure or Living Human Treasure is a title awarded in several countries, and denotes a person or a group which is regarded as a national treasure while still alive....
s stand half way between the outer and inner tamagaki. The prime minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
members of both houses of the diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
and other senior elected officials are allowed to just outside of the gateway to the inner tamagaki. Entrance to the inner tamagaki is limited to members of the imperial family and only the emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
and the empress
Japanese empresses
In Japan, empress may refer to either or .- Empresses regnant :There were eight female imperial reigns in Japan's early history between 593 and 770, and two more in the early modern period...
are generally allowed to enter through the innermost mizugaki fence.An exception is made for the crown prince and princess who, on the occasion of their marriage, can enter the area enclosed by the mizugaki.
The tamagaki and the traditional torii
Torii
A is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred...
gate are sometimes replaced by a covered corridor called kairō
Kairō
The , , is the Japanese version of a cloister, a covered corridor originally built around the most sacred area of a Buddhist temple, a zone which contained the Kondō and the pagoda...
and a rōmon
Rōmon
The is one of two types of two-storied gate presently used in Japan . Even though it was originally developed by Buddhist architecture, it is now used at both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Its otherwise normal upper story is inaccessible and therefore offers no usable space...
gate. Originally Buddhist, neither was initially typical of shrines, but in time they often came to play the role of the more traditional tamagaki. A famous example is Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū in Kyoto prefecture
Kyoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....
. This phenomenon was partly caused by the strong influence of Buddhism on kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
worship due to the syncretic
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
fusion of Buddhism and local religion (shinbutsu shūgō
Shinbutsu Shugo
, literally "syncretism of kami and buddhas" is the syncretism of Buddhism and kami worship which was Japan's religion until the Meiji period...
).