Project Issho-ni/Tomo-ni (re-Creating Pure Wisdom, Together!) is about the return of two temple guards from the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam to their birthplace: Yokota Japan. Foundation Niōmon was founded to renovate the gate where the guardians originally stood and to facilitate and organize a metaphorical gate through Artist Exchanges, High School Exchanges and everything to bring about knowledge and compassion. They do this in collaboration with GIA Niomon Yokota and many volunteers in both the Netherlands and Japan and with Dutch artist Jikke van Loon.
![]()
A Niomon is a gate at the entrance to a Japanese temple area and traditionally houses two temple guardians named ‘Agyou’ and ‘UNgyo’.
This project is about a specific Niomon:
the Niomon at the Iwaya-ji temple in Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. It once was house to two magnificant temple guardians that are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum om Amsterdam.
This project is about a specific Niomon:
the Niomon at the Iwaya-ji temple in Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. It once was house to two magnificant temple guardians that are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum om Amsterdam.
Japanese Temple Guardians
Japanese temple guardians (NIO-ZO) usually stand in a gate at the entrance of a temple area.
The guardians have fierce looks. One has its mouth open and is shouting ‘AAaa!’ and the other has its mouth fermly shut and is making the sound UN!
These sounds are the first syllabes of the Siddham script and together they represent all sounds (beginning and end and everything in between) and therefor all knowlegde, wisdom and compassion. Any one walking in between the temple guardains gains acces to this knowledge, wisdom and compassion. A Niomon and its guardians therefor are a PORTAL TO WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION.
The temple guardians in this project are from Yokota, Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. And are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam.
Japanese temple guardians (NIO-ZO) usually stand in a gate at the entrance of a temple area.
The guardians have fierce looks. One has its mouth open and is shouting ‘AAaa!’ and the other has its mouth fermly shut and is making the sound UN!
These sounds are the first syllabes of the Siddham script and together they represent all sounds (beginning and end and everything in between) and therefor all knowlegde, wisdom and compassion. Any one walking in between the temple guardains gains acces to this knowledge, wisdom and compassion. A Niomon and its guardians therefor are a PORTAL TO WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION.
The temple guardians in this project are from Yokota, Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. And are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam.
Nio-mon, A Portal/ A Home is an international art project between the Netherlands and Japan about the creation of a GATE (MON) in both physical and meta-physical form. We want to help bring back two wonderful Japanese Guardians to their former Home and House: the Niomon in Okuizumo, Yokota, Japan. But the gate is a desolate state. We have to take it apart and make repairs. Let’s build this gate Together!
(read more)
(read more)
Issho-ni/ Tomo-ni, (re-creating Pure Wisdom, together!) Hundreds of participants in both the Netherlands joined the return of the Nio to their home town: Yokota, Okuizumo, Japan.
(read more)
(read more)
23 November 2023, Okuizumo, Yokota, Shimane-ken, Japan
For the first time in many many many years the Iwaya-ji temple opened it’s doors to welcome everyone inside!
For the first time in many many many years the Iwaya-ji temple opened it’s doors to welcome everyone inside!
This project is by initiative of Amsterdam based artist Jikke van Loon.
She regularly visited the temple guardians in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam en decided to help them ‘go back home’.
Both the Niōmon Foundation Netherlands (Stichting Niōmon) and Ippan Shadan Hōjin NIOMON Yokota were established to help facilitate and organise this project. Together they are trying to build ‘a gate to knowledge, wisdom and compassion!’. (see people)
She regularly visited the temple guardians in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam en decided to help them ‘go back home’.
Both the Niōmon Foundation Netherlands (Stichting Niōmon) and Ippan Shadan Hōjin NIOMON Yokota were established to help facilitate and organise this project. Together they are trying to build ‘a gate to knowledge, wisdom and compassion!’. (see people)