Kaminarimon Travel Guide

Kaminarimon, formally known as Fūraijinmon (Gate of the Wind and Thunder Gods), serves as the grand entrance to the historic Sensō-ji Temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district. The gate's name, Kaminarimon or 'Thunder Gate', is derived from the Shinto gods of wind (Fūjin) and thunder (Raijin) whose statues flank the gate's front. Fūjin is enshrined on the east side, while Raijin is on the west. On the reverse side stand statues of the Buddhist gods Tenryū and Kinryū.The gate's history stretches back to 941 AD when it was first built by Taira no Kinmasa, though not in its current location. The gate was moved to its present site in 1635. Throughout the centuries, Kaminarimon has been destroyed by fire multiple times. The current structure was rebuilt in 1960 with a donation from Kōnosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic.A massive red lantern (chōchin), donated by Matsushita, hangs under the center of the gate. It measures 3.9 meters in height, 3.3 meters in width, and weighs approximately 700 kilograms. The lantern's surface displays the characters for 'Kaminarimon'. The base of the lantern features a dragon carving. Today, Kaminarimon remains a popular landmark, drawing tourists and worshippers alike.