What’s With The Tiny Gate?
Wow, people were totally troll-size back in the days before homogenized vitamin D milk! Check out the tiny gate in this old wall!
No, wait. Then why is there an eensy-weensy gate next to the car entrance at this temple in Daimon? It was built after the war, when hamburgers and milk had already invaded Japan and made all the kids’ uniform pants too short. Is this a temple dedicated to short people?
Actually, none of the above. These gate have been built less than person-height on purpose, so everyone has to bow as they enter. Whether you’re the emperor or the guy who’s arrived to take out the garbage, you have to humble yourself before entering the sacred ground beyond.
Many garden huts built for tea ceremony have the same small doors, emphasizing that you have to leave your worldly status behind when performing tea ceremony.
If you want to visit the Nihon Minka-en (where the first picture was taken) the next time you’re in Tokyo, there are more pictures and directions on my website The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had . The Nihon Minka-en is a park with 24 beautiful thatch-roofed farmhouses that have been moved in from all over Japan. It’s about 20 minutes from Shinjuku Station
