karamon 唐門

Also read karakado. A generic term for a gate with undulating bargeboards *karahafu 唐破風. This term includes *hirakaramon 平唐門 and *mukaikaramon 向唐門. The former has the characteristic bargeboards at each end, the latter has them on front and back. Entrances are on the long sides and in both types. The rafters also have the same undulation as the bargeboards. Usually, the bargeboards and rafters form arcs that meet to form cusps called *ibara 茨. Therefore, the rafters are called ibaradaruki 茨垂木. Some karamon have undulating gables, karahafu, on all four sides of the gate. One example is at Nikkō　 Tōshōgū 日光東照宮 in Tochigi Prefecture. It is called shihō karahafu-zukuri 四方唐破風造 or kara yotsuashimon 唐四脚門. The word kara 唐, with reference to bargeboards on gates and entrances does not necessarily point to a Chinese style but does indicate the use of undulating bargeboards. The prefix kara is added to the name of a gate that has a distinctive appellation or an ornate style. Karamon are often placed at the entrance of monzeki 門跡 temples, headed by a priest-price, or in front of an abbot's quarters.