, also called , and , is a complex

Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

structure in which the ''

haiden Haiden may refer to: *A Gewürztraminer wine * Haiden (Shinto), the hall of worship of a Shinto shrine See also * Heiden (disambiguation) {{disambig ...

'', or worship hall, and the ''

honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a sta ...

'', or main sanctuary, are interconnected under the same roof in the shape of an H.Encyclopedia of Shinto
''Gongen-zukuri''
accessed on December 2, 2009 The connecting passage can be called , , or ("intermediate hall"). The floor of each of the three halls can be at a different level. If the ''ai-no-ma'' is paved with stones it is called ''ishi-no-ma'', whence the name of the style. It can, however, be paved with planks or ''

tatami A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Tatamis are made in standard sizes, twice as long as wide, about 0.9 m by 1.8 m depending on the region. In martial arts, tatami are the floor used for traini ...

''. Its width is often the same as the ''honden's'', with the ''haiden'' from one to three ''

ken Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in ...

'' wider. This style, rather than the structure of a building, defines the relationship between member structures of a shrine. Each member then belongs to a particular

architectural style An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...

. For example, the ''honden'' and ''haiden'' at are single-storied, ''irimoya-zukuri'' edifices. Because they are connected by a passage called ''ishi-no-ma'' and are covered by a single roof, however, the complex is classified as belonging to the ''ishi-no-ma-zukuri'' style. One of the oldest examples is

Kitano Tenman-gū is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. With th ...

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. The ''gongen-zukuri'' name comes from

Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the n ...

Nikkō is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,239 in 36,531 households, and a population density of 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a popular destination for Japanese and ...

, which enshrines the Tōshō Daigongen (

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...

) and adopts this structure.Jaanus
Gongen-zukuri
accessed on December 5, 2009

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ishi-No-Ma-Zukuri Shinto architecture Gongen