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So I was watching something last year that involved a visit to 浅草神社. Along the
way there were conversations over what was the preferred way to read the name
for the temple—either using the kun readings (あさくさじんじゃ) or on readings
(せんそうじ).

The next bit struck me as a bit odd, though, when they got on the topic of the
temple's 雷門. I'd always assumed that it was straightforward: らいもん. As it turns
out though, it appears that the proper name for it is a mixed kun-on reading
of かみなりもん instead. Is there any particular reason for this?

Picture of the gate in question, for reference:

[![image of the
かみなりもん](https://i.stack.imgur.com/rIJdf.jpg)](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Kaminarimon_%28outer_gate%29%2C_Sensoji_Temple%2C_Akakusa%2C_Tokyo.jpg/640px-
Kaminarimon_%28outer_gate%29%2C_Sensoji_Temple%2C_Akakusa%2C_Tokyo.jpg)
CC BY-SA 3.0
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2015-04-17T19:07:35.387
2015-04-17T19:07:35.387
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question
readings names
「かみなりもん」 vs. 「らいもん」
According to [this](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9B%B7%E9%96%80) article
on Wikipedia, the name 雷門 first appeared in senryū (川柳) poetry of Edo period
but it's not clear how it came to be used.

It's also interesting that the official name of the gate is full on-reading
風{ふう}雷{らい}神{じん}門{もん} and it comes from the two statues of Shinto gods 風神{ふうじん}
and 雷神{らいじん} which stand inside the gate. The official name is written at the
back of the lantern.
CC BY-SA 3.0
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answer