Feel the Power from the Black Appearance of the Historical Buildings “Kuromon”

“Kuromon (旧因州池田屋屋敷門, Black Gate)” is famous as an outdoor exhibition facility located in Tokyo National Museum. The massive black-painted gate has been designated as an Important Cultural Property.

This gate is the front one of the Edo residence of the Ikeda family, who took the reins during the Edo Period(1603-1868). Originally, it was located near Tokyo Station. However, the gate subsequently repeated the relocation several times before relocating to the current National Museum in 1954 and being restored and reconstructed.

” Kuromon” is a ‘highly formal example of a daimyo residence gate’. Its roof adopts a traditional roof of Japanese architecture, ‘Irimoya Zukuri(入母屋造, hipped-gable roof)’, which is seen on the castle, shrine, and so on. The left and right of the gate are equipped with a rounded roof, ‘Mukai Karahahu Zukuri(向唐破風造, twin sentry boxes with bargeboard gables)’ as a guardhouse.

People can look at the front side of the gate from the road because it has been built between the premises of the Museum and normal road. We can approach its backside from the premises, and also visit its inside during the opening hours.

There is the cherry tree in front of the Kuromon. We can enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall! You should view the gate when visiting Tokyo National Museum.