T o u r  o f  M i s o n o   •   part one  
     
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HEAVEN'S PORTALS (TENMON)

Executed by the sculptor Masayuki Nagare, Heaven's Portals are composed of eight majestic granite columns that rise above a terraced stairway on the approach to Misono's Great Plaza and Meishusama Hall. These sculptured columns form a portal between the worldly and the sacred.

  
     

 

THE SACRED PATH

Located to the right as one approaches the Heaven's Portals and Misono's sanctuary area, this shady pathway is an alternate route to the Great Plaza. Most Shumei members use this indirect path on their way to Meishusama Hall. Its cobblestones once formed part of the pavement of the old imperial city of Kyoto. The pathway is lined with a variety of plants and shrubs, including among them wisteria and Japanese maples that delight the eye with deep green, vivid crimson, and purple during the changing seasons of the year.
     

THE CASCADE (KUMO GA TAKI)

The Sacred Path leads past a cascading fountain. As he created the Gate of Paradise, Masayuki Nagare also designed this fountain. Before entering the Great Plaza and going deeper into the sanctuary area, it is customary for visitors to wash their hands and mouth with these waters. As those of Lourdes and Bethesda, these waters are believed to have healing powers.

 
     

 

THE JOY OF ANGELS

This carillon tower was designed by I.M. Pei, one of the most renowned architects of our time. Mr. Pei's other works include Phases I and II of the Louvre in Paris, with its celebrated glass pyramids, the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, and the Miho Museum, which houses the Shumei Family Art Collection. This 60-meter-high tower has a set of 50 bells that were cast by the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in The Netherlands. It is our hope that the harmonious sounds of these bells will carry peace and joy throughout the entire world.

     

MEISHUSAMA HALL

At the far end of the Great Plaza, an expanse of 14,000 square meters paved with Italian marble, stands this grand hall, which is dedicated to our founder Meishusama. Completed in 1983, it was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who also designed the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City. Resembling the shape of Mt. Fuji, the structure is supported by just four pillars that curve upward from its base. The structure is an amazing 60 meters in width, 100 meters in length, and 50 meters in height. Yamasaki's design was realized with the aid of his engineering partner, Yoshikatsu Tsuboi, a foremost authority on structural dynamics. Meishusama Hall is a stunning feat of architecture that set a benchmark in structural engineering.