The entrance gate to the garden is made of Port Orford cedar. Layered cedar shingles compose the roof of the gate, and the ridge is capped with traditional Japanese ceramic tiles. The design motif of the gate doors was hand carved by Sakaguchi-san. In traditional Japanese construction, finish is never applied to the cedar, and the wood ages over time to a silver gray. In this photo, taken a few years after construction, one can see this process beginning to take place.