A Small Zen-Style Hall in Aizu
The Jofukuin Temple Yakushi Hall (常福院薬師堂) is a small Buddhist hall in the Zen style of the mid-Muromachi period in Shinyashiki, Aizumisato Town, Onuma District, Fukushima Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on February 18, 1904 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a three-by-three-bay hip-and-gable hall with a copper roof; designation number 00311.
The 1904 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.
The Tago Yakushi Hall
The Yakushi Hall of Jofukuin in Shinyashiki, Aizumisato, Fukushima, is a Buddhist hall of the mid-Muromachi period, three bays by three, single-storey, with a hip-and-gable copper roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Fukushima Prefecture notes that it is known as the Tago Yakushi Hall, and that a local magnate, Tago Doyu, is said to have ordered craftsmen from Hida to build it in 1197.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency record has no commentary; the date, the mid-Muromachi period, and its form, a three-by-three-bay hip-and-gable hall, set out what was designated.
Dismantled and Restored
The hall was dismantled and repaired under the direct control of the Ministry of Education, and the work was completed in March 1956 (Fukushima Prefecture). Gable boards found during the work showed that it had once had a hip-and-gable roof, and the roof was changed back from a pyramid form. It is a small Zen-style hall with a steep roof.
What to Look For
At the Yakushi Hall of Jofukuin, look for the steep hip-and-gable roof and the compact form of a Zen-style hall (Fukushima Prefecture).
Visiting
The Yakushi Hall is owned by Jofukuin Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Fukushima Prefecture gives it as about 15 minutes on foot from Niitsuru Station on the JR Tadami Line, with no parking, and names the Aizumisato Town Tourist Association for enquiries. No official information on visiting hours was found.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In the mid-Muromachi period.
- What is it also called?
- The Tago Yakushi Hall.
- What is the roof like?
- Hip-and-gable, restored in 1956.
- How do I get there?
- About 15 minutes on foot from Niitsuru Station.
- When was the Jofukuin Temple Yakushi Hall designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On February 18, 1904 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Jofukuin Temple Yakushi Hall (常福院薬師堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | Ko 99 Sannozuka, Shinyashiki, Aizumisato Town, Onuma District, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1904/02/18 (Meiji 37) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 3 bays by 3 bays, single storey, hip-and-gable, copper roof |
| Owner | Jofukuin Temple |
| Public Access | About 15 minutes on foot from Niitsuru Station (JR Tadami Line) |
References
- Jofukuin Temple Yakushi Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/227
- Jofukuin Yakushi Hall (Fukushima Prefecture, Aizuwakamatsu Construction Office, in Japanese)
- https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/sec/41340a/www-wakamatsu-kensetsu91.html
Last verified: 2026.10.30