Fumonji Temple

Fumonji Temple

Fumonji Temple (普門寺) on the south-eastern slope of Mount Funagata in Unoyacho, Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, is a Shingon temple whose six buildings were registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties on August 6, 2025: the main hall of 1693, the Daishi Hall of 1854, the Bentendo of 1714, the Juodo Hall of 1852, the bell-tower gate of 1707 and the mid-Edo Niomon Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs). All six are owned by the temple.

The Aichi Prefecture tourism site says the temple was founded by the monk Gyoki at the wish of Emperor Shomu and is known as the maple temple of Toyohashi.

The Six Buildings

The main hall, a five-bay hall facing east, shows local character in the curved beams of its outer sanctuary. The Daishi Hall, three bays under a pyramidal roof, has a coffered ceiling painted with plants, and the tiny Bentendo, in a shed by the pond, has a porch arch formed by two entwined dragons (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Juodo Hall is a simple small hall showing its gable to the approach, the bell-tower gate at the centre of the precinct carries a bell in its deep-eaved upper storey, and the Niomon Gate at the entrance is an eight-legged gate housing a pair of guardian kings (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Each building is described on its own page.

Visiting

According to the Aichi Prefecture tourism site, the main hall and Daishi Hall are opened from 9:00 to 15:45 during the maple festival from late November to early December, for 700 yen (free for those aged 17 and under). It is about 45 minutes by car from Toyokawa IC on the Tomei Expressway or 15 minutes by taxi from JR Futagawa Station, with free parking for 200 cars.