The 1375 Main Hall of Nishiyama Koryuji
The Koryuji Temple Main Hall (興隆寺本堂, Kōryūji hondō) is the main hall of Koryuji, also known as Nishiyama Koryuji, in Furuta, Tanbara-cho, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture; rebuilt in 1375 during the Nanboku-cho period, it was designated an Important Cultural Property on May 27, 1907. An inner shrine cabinet, 1 bracket block and 2 ridge tablets are designated with it.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the hall as 5 ken by 6 ken, single storey, with a Yosemune-zukuri hipped roof covered in copper sheet. The Ehime Prefectural Board of Education notes that the roof was originally Kayabuki thatch and was changed to copper during the dismantling repair of 1937.
Why It Matters
The Koryuji Temple Main Hall was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1907. Ehime Prefecture describes it as a large building that preserves the style of the Muromachi period well, a Wayō Japanese-style hall into which features of the Zenshūyō Zen style have been worked. Its designation so early shows how long it has been recognised.
All the posts are round. The outer bracketing uses the Zen-style one-step projecting set (degumi) with paired bearing blocks on decorative bracket arms, and frog-leg struts appear only on the front, 4 in all. A veranda runs around all four sides, and the floors are of polished boards, giving the interior a clean, restrained feel (Ehime Prefectural Board of Education).
Behind the inner sanctuary stands a dais with a railing, on which the designated shrine cabinet rests. It is a 1-ken cabinet with a shikoro-style roof shingled in tochi boards, which the prefecture describes as boards 0.9 to 3 cm thick, 9 to 15 cm wide and up to 63 cm long.
What to Look For
Begin with the roof. As the prefecture points out, at first glance it looks like a Hōgyō-zukuri pyramidal roof rising to a single point, but it is in fact a hipped roof with a ridge. Compare the front and side views and the short ridge becomes clear.
Then look under the eaves. Zen-style projecting bracket sets with paired blocks sit on each post, and on the front the 4 frog-leg struts add ornament between them. This combination of a Japanese-style hall with Zen-style members is what to look for here.
Visiting the Koryuji Temple Main Hall
The exterior of the Koryuji Temple Main Hall can be seen in the temple grounds. No official information on viewing the interior or on photography was found, so ask at the temple.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Ehime
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Koryuji Temple Main Hall
- [ Dogo Onsen & Matsuyama Castle Relaxation Tour ]
Q&A
- When was the Koryuji Temple Main Hall built?
- It was rebuilt in 1375.
- When was the Koryuji Temple Main Hall designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On May 27, 1907, together with a shrine cabinet, 1 bracket block and 2 ridge tablets.
- Is the Koryuji main hall's roof pyramidal?
- It looks pyramidal but is actually a hipped roof with a short ridge. It was thatched until the 1937 repair, when it was covered in copper.
- What style is the Koryuji Temple Main Hall?
- A large Japanese-style hall with Zen-style features, typical of the Muromachi period, with Zen-style bracketing and 4 frog-leg struts on the front.
- Can you go inside the Koryuji Temple Main Hall?
- There is no official information on interior viewing; the exterior can be seen in the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Main Hall (興隆寺本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1657 Furuta, Tanbara-cho, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture (Koryuji) |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1907/5/27 (Meiji 40) |
| Quantity | 1 building (with 1 shrine cabinet, 1 bracket block, 2 ridge tablets) |
| Dimensions | 5 ken by 6 ken, single storey, hipped roof, copper sheet |
| Owner | Koryuji |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable in the temple grounds |
References
- Koryuji Temple Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/3382
- Koryuji Main Hall (Ehime no Bunkazai, Ehime Prefectural Board of Education)
- https://www.pref.ehime.jp/ehimenotakara/22.html
Last verified: 2026.10.05
