Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall: A Late Kamakura Shrine on the Hill
The Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall (一乗寺護法堂) is a small shrine building of the late Kamakura period (1275 to 1332) at Ichijoji in Sakamoto-cho, Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture, and in 1913 was designated a national Important Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall as a one-bay kasuga-style shrine with corner rafters, roofed in cypress bark. Kasai City says it stands on the hill behind the main hall, up a flight of stone steps.
Why It Was Designated
According to Kasai City, a goho-do is a hall for Bishamonten, guardian of the Buddhist teaching and its practitioners. The Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall is one bay wide and one bay deep, a very small building.
Its brackets project one step with a cove under the eaves, and details such as frog-leg struts and carved beam ends suggest it dates back to the late Kamakura period. Kasai City lists two designation dates, 14 April 1913 and 29 August 1950.
What to Look For
The hall is a sumikiiri kasuga-zukuri shrine, with corner rafters carrying the eaves over the front. Small as it is, its bracketing and carved struts show Kamakura-period style.
The Benten-do at the foot of the hill uses the same form, and Kasai City notes the two are closely alike; compare them.
Visiting the Goho-do
Ichijoji is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is 500 yen, according to the Saigoku pilgrimage association. Access and treasure-hall booking are covered on the Ichijoji Temple page. The Goho-do is reached by stone steps behind the main hall.
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Q&A
- What is enshrined in the Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall?
- According to Kasai City, Bishamonten, guardian of the Buddhist teaching and its practitioners.
- When was the Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall built?
- Its details suggest the late Kamakura period.
- What type of building is the Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall?
- A small one-bay kasuga-style shrine with corner rafters and a cypress-bark roof.
- Where is the Goho-do?
- On the hill behind the main hall of Ichijoji, up a flight of stone steps.
- When was the Goho-do designated?
- On 14 April 1913.
Basic Information
| Name | Ichijoji Temple Goho-do Hall (一乗寺護法堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 821-17 Sakamoto-cho, Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1913/4/14 (Taisho 2) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | One-bay kasuga-style shrine with corner rafters, cypress-bark roof |
| Owner | Ichijoji |
| Public Access | Open within the temple (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 500 yen) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Ichijoji Goho-do (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/2391
- Kasai City: Ichijoji Goho-do (Japanese)
- https://www.city.kasai.hyogo.jp/soshiki/34/1688.html
- Saigoku Pilgrimage Association: Ichijoji (Japanese)
- https://saikoku33.gr.jp/place/26
Last verified: 2026.09.27
