Dimers of dianionic porphyrins were formed via template directed self-assembly on a tetracationic macrocycle. Single crystal X-ray structural analyses revealed that [5,10-bis(4-sulfonatophenyl)-15,20-diphenylporphyrinato]nickel(11) (Ni(H)TPPS2A2-) or [5,15-bis(4-sulfonatophenyl)-15,20-diphenylporphyrinato]nickel(II) (Ni(II)TPPS202-) formed discrete J-type slipped cofacial dimers, which are structural analogues of a typical natural cofacial porphyrin dimer, on the tetracationic template in the crystals.