What Is Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall?
Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall (高龍寺位牌堂, Kōryū-ji Ihai-dō) is the hall where Koryuji, a Soto Zen temple in Funamicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido, keeps the memorial tablets of its parishioners' ancestors; built in 1933, it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2012. It is the youngest of the ten registered structures in the precinct.
The hall stands between the Kaizando and the Konpira Hall, facing west, with corridors on its north and south sides leading to each of them. It is five bays wide and four bays deep, with a hip-and-gable roof (Irimoya-zukuri) of pantiles and a one-bay porch (Kōhai) at the front, and it covers 161 square meters. Above ground it is timber, but beneath it lies a reinforced-concrete basement, making it one storey above ground and one below.
Why the Memorial Tablet Hall Matters: A Small Echo of the Main Hall
Hakodate City notes that the tiled hip-and-gable roof of Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall is a scaled-down version of the Main Hall roof, and that the whole building shares its character. Although it went up more than 30 years after the Main Hall, it was evidently designed to match it and keep the precinct visually unified.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs draws attention to the porch. The carved ends of the tie beam (Kibana) and the carving on top of the beam (Kōryō) show real skill, and they carry the decorative tradition of the Echigo carpenters of the Meiji and Taisho eras into the early Showa period.
The other notable point is the pairing of a traditional timber hall with a concrete basement. According to the Agency, both levels are used to house tablets. The hall was repaired in 1992 and 1997.
What to Look for at the Memorial Tablet Hall
At Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall, start close to the porch and look up at the beam ends projecting on either side and the carving above them; this is the work the Agency singles out.
Then step back to see the resemblance to the Main Hall. From the east side of the precinct you can line up the Memorial Tablet Hall in front with the Main Hall behind it, two hip-and-gable roofs of different sizes tracing the same profile.
Notice the corridors running north and south as well. They join the Kaizando and the Konpira Hall under one continuous roof, so the halls on the east side of the precinct can be reached without stepping out into the snow.
Visiting Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall
Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall stands on the left as you enter the Main Gate, between the Konpira Hall and the Kaizando. Its exterior can be viewed freely from the grounds.
The temple says the remains and tablets of parishioners are kept on both floors and memorial services are held here every day. It is not a hall opened for sightseeing, so please do not go inside or take photographs of the interior, and view it quietly from outside. Directions and opening hours for the whole temple are on the Koryuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall built?
- In 1933. It is the newest of the ten Registered Tangible Cultural Properties at Koryuji.
- Does Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall have a basement?
- Yes. The upper floor is timber and the basement is reinforced concrete. Tablets are kept on both levels.
- Can visitors go inside Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall?
- It holds parishioners' tablets and remains and is used for daily memorial services, so it is best viewed from outside.
- What should I look at on Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall?
- The carved beam ends and the carving above the beam on the front porch, and the roof, which repeats the Main Hall roof on a smaller scale.
- Where is Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall in the precinct?
- On the left after the Main Gate, facing west between the Konpira Hall and the Kaizando, and linked to both by corridors.
Basic Information
| Name | Koryuji Temple Memorial Tablet Hall (高龍寺位牌堂) |
|---|---|
| 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 161 square meters; 5 by 4 bays |
| Owner | Koryuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the grounds; interior used for memorial services and not open |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: Koryuji Memorial Tablet Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009109
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koryuji Memorial Tablet Hall (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/228982
- 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
Last verified: 2026.10.02
