This well-travelled gate started out life as the formal entrance of a high-ranking Daimyō’s residence, located to the east of what was Edo castle. It now fulfills the role of Tōkyo landmark at Ueno (here). Here’s a partial list of its names, and boy, there are a few:

• Kuro Mon – 黒門
• Ueno no Kuro Mon – 上野の黒門
• Tōgu Gosho no Sho Mon – 東宮御所の正門
• Kyū Inshū Ikeda Yashiki Omote Mon – 旧因州池田屋敷表門
• Kyū Inaba Tottori Han Ikeda Ke No Omote Mon – 旧因幡鳥取藩池田家の表門

Exactly when the gate was built is unknown, but it is believed to have been completed toward the end of the Edo period (1603 – 1868) where it served as the main gate of the Ikeda of Inaba Province. In 1892, it was transferred to the Emperor’s Eastern Palace (Tōgu Gosho) at Takanawadai Machi. The gate was awarded Important Cultural Property status in 1951, and shortly thereafter was moved to the front of the Tōkyō National Museum in 1954.

This type of gate is known as a Nagayamon (長屋門), basically a long building with a thoroughfare. And, it should be said that this is a particularly grand example. Flanking the main and side entrances are two, count ‘em two, guardhouses. Incidentally, a feature that tells us it belonged to a Daimyō of the highest rank and an income of over 100,000 koku; koku being a unit of measurement for rice and wealth.