kairō

Two examples of ''kairō''

, , is the Japanese version of a cloister, a covered corridor originally built around the most sacred area of a Buddhist temple, a zone which contained the ''kondō'' and the ''tō''. Nowadays it can be found also at Shinto shrines and at ''shinden-zukuri'' aristocratic residences.

The ''kairō'' and the ''rōmon'' were among the most important among the '' garan'' elements which appeared during the Heian period. The first surrounded the holiest part of the '' garan'', while the second was its main exit. Neither was originally characteristic of Shinto shrines, but in time they often came to replace the traditional shrine surrounding fence called '' tamagaki''. The earliest example of a ''kairō''/''rōmon'' complex can be found at Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū, a shrine now but a former .On the subject of shrine-temple complexes, see the article '' Shinbutsu shūgō''. The ''rōmon'' is believed to have been built in 886, and the ''kairō'' roughly at the same time. Itsukushima Jinja is an example of the mature form of the complex.

Two types of ''kairō'' exist, one 1-bay wide and another 2-bay wide, the bay being the space between two pillars. The first is by far the most common.

Tanrō

The 1-bay wide type is supported by just two rows of pillars and is therefore called . Typical windows called (see gallery) let air and light in.

Fukurō

The 2-bay wide type is supported by three rows of pillars, is called and is divided in two identical corridors by a wall (see model in the gallery). Although it is known that several existed at major Buddhist temples, for example at Tōdai-ji, none is extant. Some ''fukurō'' survive however at Shinto shrines.

Gallery

File:Figure of Single Cloister.jpg, Drawing of a ''tanrō''
File:Figure of Double Cloister.jpg, Drawing of a ''fukurō''
File:Model of Double Cloister.jpg, Model of a ''fukurō''
File:Plan pf Yakushiji Temple.jpg, Plan of Yakushi-ji with the ''kairō'' surrounding the ''garan''
File:Iwashimizu Hachimangu4.jpg, Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū's ''fukurō'' and ''rōmon''
File:Isaniwa shrine kairou.jpg, External view of a ''kairō's'' wall with ''renjimado''
File:Two Niō who stand in the left (Ungyō) and right (Agyō) of the sanmon gate at Zentsū-ji in Zentsū-ji City Kagawa pref.jpg, View from the entrance of Zentsū-ji's ''kairō''
File:Hasedera Sakurai Nara pref06s4s4272.jpg, Internal view of Hase-dera's ''kairō''

See also

* Glossary of Shinto

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kairo
Japanese Buddhist architecture
Japanese architectural features
Shinto architecture
Colonnades