What Is Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall?
Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall (高龍寺防火塀, Kōryū-ji Bōkabei) is the brick wall that encloses part of the precinct of Koryuji, a Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido; built in 1910, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. It runs along the east side of the precinct and the western part of the north side, and was raised to stop fire spreading into the temple.
The wall is brick, capped with tiles, and 154 meters long in total. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the western section of the north wall is about 104 meters long and about 3 meters high, laid in Flemish bond, while the east wall is about 50 meters long and about 7 meters high, laid in English bond (English bond). The temple says the brick is 60 centimeters thick.
Why the Firebreak Wall Matters: A City of Great Fires
From the Meiji era into the early Showa era, Hakodate burned again and again. Koryuji lost its halls to fire several times before moving to Funamicho and suffered further fires after the move. The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall a structure that symbolizes the great fires of modern Hakodate.
The east wall rises to about 7 meters, closing off the boundary with the neighboring lots behind a high barrier. A brick barrier 60 centimeters thick, topped with tiles, is the plainest possible expression of its purpose: to protect timber halls from flames.
Its date is not entirely settled. The Agency gives 1910, but Hakodate's tourism site notes scorch marks on the northern section that appear to come from the great fire of 1907, suggesting the wall may be older. Hakodate City's townscape survey likewise says the brick wall on the cemetery side is thought to predate the flanking walls of the gate.
What to Look for: Two Brick Bonds
The first thing to check on Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall is the bonding. The western section of the north wall is Flemish bond, with the long faces (stretchers) and short ends (headers) of the bricks alternating within every course. The east wall is English bond, where a course of stretchers alternates with a course of headers.
Hakodate's tourism site adds that Flemish bond is generally considered the older method in Japan. Comparing the two walls, the difference in the pattern of each course is easy to see.
On the northern section, look for darkened, scorched patches on the brick face, the marks the tourism site links to the 1907 fire. The east wall is best appreciated from the slope outside the precinct, where its full height becomes clear.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall
Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall can be seen both from inside the precinct and from the public roads around it. The tall east wall is best viewed from the slope outside the grounds, and the north wall from the street as you walk west along it.
The outer face borders roads and private property, so stay on public land. The bricks are old and the surface is fragile in places; please do not touch the wall or lean on it. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- Why was Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall built?
- To stop fire spreading into the precinct in a city plagued by great fires. The Agency for Cultural Affairs treats it as a symbol of the fires of modern Hakodate.
- How tall and long is Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall?
- It is 154 meters long in total. The east wall is about 50 meters long and about 7 meters high; the western section of the north wall is about 104 meters long and about 3 meters high.
- What brick bonds are used in Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall?
- Flemish bond on the western section of the north wall and English bond on the east wall.
- When was Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives 1910. However, scorch marks on the northern section appear to date from the great fire of 1907, so part of the wall may be older.
- Where can I see Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall?
- From inside the precinct and from the surrounding roads. The tall east wall is most impressive seen from the slope outside the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Firebreak Wall (高龍寺防火塀) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-1 Funamicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2012 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | 154 meters in total length (east wall about 50 meters long and about 7 meters high; western north wall about 104 meters long and about 3 meters high) |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Visible from the grounds and the surrounding roads |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Firebreak Wall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009104
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Firebreak Wall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/176747
- Designated Townscape Buildings (Hakodate City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014021000244/
- A Walk Around the Funamicho Precinct (Kokkasan Koryuji official site, Japanese)
- https://www.kokkasan.org/halls
- Guide to Koryuji, a Showpiece of Traditional Japanese Architecture (Hakobura, Hakodate official tourism site, Japanese)
- https://www.hakobura.jp/features/107
Last verified: 2026.10.02
