Once you have entered the first gate of Sanzen-in, you will happen across a beautiful gate. This gate is called Chokushi Genkan which was designed to be used by the emperor and his envoys when they came to the temple.
Notice that upon the curved roof are decorations, which are called Karahafu. Only people held in high esteem could pass through the gate.
Why would an envoy gate be built in a mountain temple, you may ask? This is because Sanzen-in was originally a monseki temple or a temple which was closely tied to the imperial family.
At monseki temples, the emperor’s sons and heirs of the imperial family would take on the post of chief priest, or the Monsu.
The relationship between the emperor and Sanzen-in dated back to the Heian era when the son of Emperor Shirakawa became the 14th chief priest at Sanzen-in, then known as Kajii Monseki.
In Kyoto, the home to the emperor and the imperial court, there were several other monseki temples such as Niwaji Temple, Daikaku-ji Temple, Myōhō Temple, and Shōren Temple. These temples were equipped with envoy gates and entrances, which are all decorated in the same way. When you visit a monseki temple, why don’t you try to find these gates?