A Modern Chapel on the Site of the Saijo Jin'ya
The Saijo Eiko Church Chapel (西条栄光教会礼拝堂) is a chapel of white walls and tall windows of 1951 in Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a timber building of two storeys and partly one, roofed in tile and partly sheet iron, with a building area of 197 square metres; registration number 38-151.
A Single-Room Chapel with a Bell Tower
The chapel stands on the site of the jin'ya, the administrative residence of the Saijo domain (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It measures 20 by 9 metres under a gabled roof of pantiles, with lean-tos on either side; a bell tower rises at the centre of the south front, where part of the gable projects slightly forward to carry a cross.
Inside is a single worship room with the altar at the far end (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The rhythm of white walls and tall windows makes it a striking modern chapel.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it as a model of design.
What to Look For
Look for the bell tower and cross at the centre of the south front, and the white walls lined with tall windows inside (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by the Saijo Eiko Church of the United Church of Christ in Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on public access was found. The chapel and parsonage are introduced together on the Saijo Eiko Church page.
Q&A
- When was the chapel built?
- In 1951 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where does it stand?
- On the site of the Saijo domain jin'ya.
- What marks its exterior?
- A bell tower and a cross on the projecting gable.
- What is inside?
- A single worship room with the altar at the far end.
- When was the Saijo Eiko Church Chapel registered?
- On February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Saijo Eiko Church Chapel (西条栄光教会礼拝堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 236-3 Akeyashiki, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/02/26 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, two storeys and partly one, tile and partly sheet iron, 197 m² |
| Owner | United Church of Christ in Japan Saijo Eiko Church |
| Public Access | No official information on access |
References
- Saijo Eiko Church Chapel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013763
Last verified: 2026.10.24
