rōmon 楼門

A high gate that is often referred to as a two-storied gate, but in fact does not have two stories. Generally, it is an eight-legged gate *hakkyakumon 八脚門. The rōmon at Hannyaji 般若寺 (1264) in Nara, is a four-legged gate with a single entrance the width of the gate. The rōmon has only one main roof over the whole gate in contrast to a true two-storied gate that has a flanking roof that surrounds the whole structure above the pillars *hashira 柱, and bracket complexes *tokyō 斗きょう of the first story. The rōmon has no usable space in the upper area. Instead of a flanking roof, it has a very shallow-balcony with a balustrade that skirts the entire gate above the secondly pillars which are capped by bracket complexes *koshigumi 腰組. These support both the balcony, the short posts, and other upper structural elements which carry the weight of the roof. Rōmon usually have a hip-and-gable roof *irimoya yane 入母屋屋根, covered with tile *hongawarabuki 本瓦葺, shingles *kokerabuki 柿葺, or cypress bark *hiwadabuki 桧皮葺. The bracket complexes may be in the wayō style *wayō 和様, or Zen style *zenshūyō 禅宗様. The upper area may have two or three vertical muntins set in window frames, *renjimado 連子窓, or have window set in the center bay. The side bays may be covered with white plaster. There is great variety of structural detail in rōmon gates.
Example: Ōno Jinja Rōmon 大野神社楼門 (early Kamakura period) in Shiga Prefecture. It is an eight-legged gate. Iwakisan Jinja Rōmon 岩木山神社楼門 (1628) in Aomori Prefecture, 5 x 3 bays and has three entances. Tōdaji *Chūmon 東大寺中門 (1711-16) is five bays wide with three doors, a hip-and-gable roof *irimoya-zukuri 入母屋造 covered with tile hongawarabuki.