The Oyama Shrine from Kanazawa is well known because of its main gate’s unusual architecture. Actually, the gate was originally built for the palace from the Kanazawa castle and was later moved to the shrine.

The gate’s original shape was designed by a Dutch architect, who wanted to mix several European and Asian architectural elements. Thus, the lower part is inspired by a Japanese Zen Buddhist temple gate, Sanmon, while the second level is influenced by a Chinese Ming dynasty style gate. Finally, the top level is actually a lighthouse, with stained glass windows in a typical Dutch style…

Oyama Shrine, Kanazawa

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese architecture, the Water Spaceship