Somon, Main Entrance Gate
The fifteen-meter-high main entrance to Shinshoji Temple marks the boundary between the outside world and the temple grounds. The gate is carved with images of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Carved into the gate are images of the animals representing the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. The eight Buddhist deities affiliated with the twelve years (four are guardians to two different years) are enshrined in the upper floor and protect all those who pass through the gate.