Ishiteji Temple Main Hall

A Kamakura Main Hall Five Bays Square

The Ishiteji Temple Main Hall (石手寺本堂) is a main hall five bays square of the late Kamakura period in Ishite, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on May 27, 1907 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a single-storey hall five bays square under a hip-and-gable roof of full tiles, designated together with an inscribed tablet and three ridge tags; designation number 00419.

The 1907 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.

A Late Kamakura Main Hall

According to the Agency's detailed commentary, Ishiteji is said to have been founded in 728 by Ochi no Tamazumi at the command of Emperor Shomu as Anyoji, and renamed Ishiteji in 892.

The main hall dates from the late Kamakura period and is five bays square under a hip-and-gable roof of full tiles (Agency for Cultural Affairs). An inscribed tablet and three ridge tags are designated with it.

Why It Is an Important Cultural Property

The Agency record has no commentary; the date, the late Kamakura period, and its form, five bays square with a hip-and-gable roof, set out what was designated.

What to Look For

Look for the five-bay hall under its hip-and-gable roof of full tiles (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

It is owned by Ishiteji Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to Matsuyama City, Ishiteji is the 51st temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage and about 25 minutes on foot from Dogo Onsen Honkan. No official information on visiting hours or fees was found. The seven designated structures are introduced together on the Ishiteji Temple page.