One of my sightseeing trips brought me to Sumida, outside the touristic areas, at the Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple.
The gate of this temple, built in 1718, holds the record of being the oldest structure in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward:
Thatched Gate, Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple, Tokyo
It is a thatched gate, which means that the roof is built from dry straws, a very old construction technique encountered all over the world (including in my home country), but rarely seen in today’s cities.
The thatch needs to be periodically replaced, which makes the age of this gate even more remarkable - in 292 years, who knows how many times this roof needed repairs…
Looking closer, we can see the multiple layers of thatch:
Thatched Gate Roof, Detail, Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple, Tokyo
Contrary to the popular beliefs, the reason why thatched roofs are becoming increasingly rare is not the fire risk. Actually, these roofs are very hard to build, so today they are very expensive!
Thatched Gate Roof, Detail, Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple, Tokyo
The temple’s yard was empty, but something odd drew my attention: the gate was “guarded” by 4 cats made from PET bottles…
Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple, Tokyo
… somehow, they seemed to be welcoming me… :)
Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple, Tokyo
