What Is Koryuji Temple Kaizando?
Koryuji Temple Kaizando (高龍寺開山堂, Kōryū-ji Kaizan-dō), the Founder's Hall of Koryuji, is a brick hall in the precinct of this Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido; built around 1897, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. The temple also calls it Garyubyo, and because it houses rows of arhat statues it is popularly known as the Rakan-do, the Hall of Arhats.
The Kaizando stands northeast of the Main Hall and faces west. It is a single-storey brick building with a tiled roof, 156 square meters in area, measuring 14.2 meters by 9.9 meters. The hipped roof (Yosemune-zukuri) is covered in pantiles, and a one-bay porch (Kōhai) roofed in copper projects at the front. The brick is not left exposed: the walls are finished in white lime plaster (Shikkui) in the manner of a traditional storehouse (Dozo-zukuri).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates the hall to around 1897, while the temple and Hakodate City give 1899. Every source agrees that Koryuji Temple Kaizando is the oldest building now standing in the precinct.
Why the Kaizando Matters: Brick Dressed as a Storehouse
The Agency for Cultural Affairs counts Koryuji Temple Kaizando among the early surviving brick buildings in Hakodate. The city was swept by fire again and again from the Meiji era on, and fire-resistant brick spread through its warehouses and walls. Using brick for a temple hall, then hiding it under plaster so that the result looks like a traditional storehouse, is what sets this building apart.
Hakodate City's townscape survey singles out the white-walled, plaster-coated brick exterior, including the white gables under the roof, as the most eye-catching feature. Among the timber halls of the precinct, the Kaizando reads as a solid white block, easy to pick out from the gate.
The Agency records repairs in 1992 and 1997, and Hakodate's tourism site says a renovation in 2003 renewed the exterior.
Inside the Kaizando
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the front bay of the interior is a corridor, and the arhat statues are enshrined in the hall behind it. The temple lists its past abbots together with the 33 forms of Kannon and the 500 arhats; Hakodate's tourism site adds the 16 arhats and the ten great disciples of the Buddha. At the center sit Banshitsu Horyu, who founded Koryuji, Dogen, who founded the Soto school, and Keizan, founder of Sojiji.
Look up as well. The temple features a ceiling painted with the 500 arhats, one of the highlights of the interior since its renovation. With so many figures to take in, allow yourself time inside.
Outside, the porch is worth a closer look. Hakodate's tourism site describes its curved, cusped gable, and the copper roof stands out sharply against the white walls.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Kaizando
The exterior of Koryuji Temple Kaizando is on the left as you enter the Main Gate, just before the Main Hall. A corridor links it to the Main Hall, and the connection is easiest to understand when you visit the Main Hall interior.
The Kaizando is a place of prayer for the temple's past abbots and is not always open. If you would like to see inside, ask at the reception desk in the priests' quarters; entry may not be possible during services, and you should also check there about photography. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Koryuji Temple Kaizando built?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs gives around 1897, while the temple and the city give 1899. All sources treat it as the oldest building in the precinct.
- What is enshrined in Koryuji Temple Kaizando?
- The temple's past abbots, the 33 forms of Kannon, and the 500 arhats, among others. That is why it is also called the Hall of Arhats.
- Is Koryuji Temple Kaizando made of wood?
- No, it is brick. The walls are plastered white, so at first glance it looks like a traditional earthen storehouse.
- Can I see inside Koryuji Temple Kaizando?
- It is not open at all times. Ask at the reception desk in the priests' quarters. The temple lists worship hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- How large is Koryuji Temple Kaizando?
- It measures 14.2 meters by 9.9 meters, with a building area of 156 square meters.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Kaizando (Founder's Hall, 高龍寺開山堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-1 Funamicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2012 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 156 square meters; 14.2 meters by 9.9 meters |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the grounds; interior on request at reception (worship hours 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Kaizando (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009102
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Kaizando (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/210275
- 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
