What Is Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion?
Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion (高龍寺水盤舎, Kōryū-ji Suiban-sha) is the small open shelter over the stone basin where worshippers rinse their hands and mouths at Koryuji, a Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido; built around 1917, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. It stands in front of the gap between the Konpira Hall and the Memorial Tablet Hall, with its ridge running north to south.
It is a timber structure with a copper roof and an area of 8.7 square meters. The roof is a one-bay hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) with a cusped eave gable (Noki-karahafu) on both the east and west faces. All four sides are left open between the posts, and above the three-bearing brackets (Mitsudo-gumi) sits a fine coffered ceiling (Gō-tenjō). The water basin stands inside.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to around 1917, while Hakodate City gives 1915.
Why the Water Basin Pavilion Matters: Carving on a Small Scale
Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion is the smallest of the ten registered structures. It earned its place through carving that is generous for its size. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the frog-leg struts (Kaerumata) and other carvings as three-dimensional and rich, and because they resemble the work on the Main Gate and the Konpira Hall, it attributes the pavilion to Sawada Kichihei and his fellow Echigo carpenters.
The roofing is distinctive too. According to Hakodate City, the Water Basin Pavilion and the Bell Tower are the only structures in the precinct roofed in copper; every other building is tiled. The two small copper roofs set among the tiled halls give the precinct roofscape some variety.
What to Look for at the Water Basin Pavilion
At Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion, look first at the tops of the posts. Through the open sides you can see the bracket sets and frog-leg struts and, beyond them, the coffered ceiling. Because the building is so small, the carving sits close to eye level.
Hakodate's tourism site highlights the dragon spout that pours the water and the small strongman figures that hold up the basin. The dragon is a fitting motif for a temple whose name means "high dragon," and here it actually delivers the water.
The cusped gables on the east and west sides make the pavilion look as if it has two fronts. Since it lines the path from the gate to the Main Hall, you pass one of these gables side-on as you walk in.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion
Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion is on the left after the Main Gate, in front of the Konpira Hall. It has no walls, so anyone can walk up to it while the grounds are open.
The basin is in everyday use for purification. When studying the carvings, stand to one side so as not to block people using the water, and do not touch the posts or the figures. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- What is Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion used for?
- It shelters the basin where worshippers rinse their hands and mouths before praying, much like the purification fountain at a shrine. It dates from around 1917.
- What should I look for at Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion?
- The deeply carved frog-leg struts, the dragon spout that pours the water, and the strongman figures holding up the basin.
- Who built Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion?
- Its carving resembles that of the Main Gate and Konpira Hall, so the Agency for Cultural Affairs attributes it to Sawada Kichihei and other Echigo carpenters.
- What is the roof of Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion made of?
- Copper sheet. It and the Bell Tower are the only copper-roofed structures in the precinct; all the others are tiled.
- When can I see Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion?
- It is open-sided, so you can see it up close whenever the grounds are open, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Water Basin Pavilion (高龍寺水盤舎) |
|---|---|
| Location | 21-3 Funamicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2012 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Area 8.7 square meters; 1 bay square |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Open to view from the grounds (grounds open 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Water Basin Pavilion (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009106
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Water Basin Pavilion (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/254669
- Designated Townscape Buildings (Hakodate City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014021000244/
- 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
