Myojoji Temple Sutra Hall

Introduction

Nestled on a tree-covered hilltop in the city of Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, the Sutra Repository (Kyōdō) of Myojoji Temple stands as a dignified testament to the cultural patronage of the Maeda clan and the enduring legacy of Nichiren Buddhism in the Hokuriku region. Built in 1670 (Kanbun 10), this Important Cultural Property of Japan is one of ten designated structures within the temple grounds that together constitute one of the finest collections of early Edo-period religious architecture in all of northern Japan.

Myojoji Temple, formally known as Kin'eizan Myojoji, serves as the head temple of the Nichiren school in the Hokuriku region. Founded in 1294 by Nichizō, a disciple of Nichiren's disciple Nichiō, the temple flourished under the generous patronage of the Maeda lords of the Kaga domain. The Sutra Repository was the final major building constructed during this remarkable era of Maeda-sponsored construction that spanned five generations, making it an indispensable part of this extraordinary architectural ensemble.

Historical Background

The construction of the Sutra Repository was carried out in fulfillment of the dying wish of Maeda Mitsutaka, the fourth lord of the Kaga domain, who passed away in Edo at the young age of just 30. Mitsutaka was the son of the third lord Maeda Toshitsune, whose mother Jufukuin had been one of the temple's most devoted patrons. Following Toshitsune's extensive building program that produced the Main Hall, Five-Storied Pagoda, and Founder's Hall, Mitsutaka's posthumous wish extended the family's legacy of architectural benefaction to the temple.

The building was completed in 1670, as confirmed by an ink inscription on the structural timbers that reads: "Kanbun 10, February 12, Nōshū Takidani □□ Saburō" along with "Master Carpenter San'emon." While the lineage of these craftsmen is not definitively established, the building's sophisticated Zen-style (karayō) design techniques suggest that the builders were well versed in the same architectural traditions that informed the temple's earlier structures.

The Maeda family's building campaign at Myojoji is remarkable in its scope: beginning with the Kitchen (Kuri) around 1593 under the first lord Toshiie, and continuing through the Main Hall, Pagoda, Bell Tower, and other structures under the second and third lords, the Sutra Repository completed the transformation of Myojoji into a grand temple complex rivaling the finest in Japan. All ten buildings were collectively designated as Important Cultural Properties on August 29, 1950.

Why It Was Designated an Important Cultural Property

The Sutra Repository of Myojoji was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan as part of the temple's extraordinary collection of ten historic buildings. The designation recognizes several key aspects of cultural and architectural significance.

First, the building is a fine example of Zen-style (karayō) religious architecture from the mid-Edo period. Although constructed in 1670, its bracket complexes (tokyō), nose carvings (kibana), and other decorative details retain archaic features reminiscent of the Muromachi period, providing valuable evidence of architectural continuity in provincial temple construction.

Second, the Sutra Repository houses important religious artifacts, including a complete set of the Tenkai Edition of the Buddhist Canon (Tenkai-ban Issaikyō) — a monumental collection of scriptures printed using movable wooden type under the direction of the Tendai monk Tenkai, who served three Tokugawa shoguns. It also preserves 64 woodblocks for printing the eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra (Myōhō Renge Kyō) dating from 1415 (Ōei 22), recognized as the oldest such printing blocks in the Hokuriku region and designated as a Cultural Property of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Third, as the culminating structure in the Maeda clan's multi-generational building program at Myojoji, the Sutra Repository helps complete the picture of one of the most significant temple complexes in the Hokuriku region, preserving the architectural vision and cultural ambitions of one of Japan's most powerful feudal domains.

Architectural Highlights

The Sutra Repository is a restrained yet elegant structure that embodies the principles of Zen-style Buddhist architecture. Measuring five bays in width (keta-yuki) and three bays in depth (hari-ma), it features a hipped roof (yosemune-zukuri) with a gable-end entrance (tsuma-iri) and is covered in sangawara tile — though the original roofing was thin wooden shingle (kokerabuki).

The front bay is designed as an open veranda-like space (fukihanashi), creating a transitional zone between the exterior and the interior. The boundary between this open porch and the inner chamber is defined by lattice doors set above a mid-rail (naka-shikii), allowing filtered light to enter while protecting the precious texts stored inside. The remaining three sides are enclosed with horizontal board walls (yoko-hame), with a paneled door (san-karado) set in the center of the rear wall.

Inside, the floor is finished in polished wooden boards (fuki-ita-jiki). At the center-rear of the interior, a Zen-style altar platform (shumidan) stands before a decorative backing wall (raigō-heki). The columns supporting this backing wall are topped with Zen-style triple bracket sets (mitsudo), connected laterally by rainbow beams (kōryō), with large bottle-shaped struts (taiheizuka) rising above to support coffered ceilings (gō-tenjō).

One of the most noteworthy features is the archaic quality of certain decorative elements. The curved profiles of the bracket complexes and the carved nose pieces (kibana) on the tie beams recall Muromachi-period aesthetics, lending the building a sense of stylistic depth that transcends its Edo-period construction date.

The Tenkai Edition Buddhist Canon and Lotus Sutra Woodblocks

The contents of the Sutra Repository are as historically significant as the building itself. The Tenkai Edition of the Buddhist Canon (Tenkai-ban Issaikyō) is a landmark in the history of Japanese printing. Produced under the supervision of the Tendai monk Tenkai (Nan'kōbō Tenkai), who served as a close advisor to the first three Tokugawa shoguns — Ieyasu, Hidetada, and Iemitsu — this massive edition of Buddhist scriptures was printed using movable wooden type. Tenkai also founded Kan'eiji Temple in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), one of the most important Tendai temples of the Edo period.

Alongside this monumental text collection, the repository houses 64 woodblocks for printing eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra, created in 1415 during the Ōei era. These woodblocks are the oldest surviving examples of their kind in the Hokuriku region and have been designated as a Cultural Property of Ishikawa Prefecture. Together, these artifacts speak to the temple's role as a center of Buddhist learning and textual preservation in the Noto Peninsula.

Visitor Information and Surrounding Attractions

Myojoji Temple is open to visitors year-round, with the Sutra Repository viewable as part of the general temple grounds tour. Admission is 500 yen for adults (high school students and above) and 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Group discounts are available for parties of 30 or more. Visiting hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM from April through October and 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM from November through March.

The temple grounds offer a remarkable walking tour through ten Important Cultural Properties, including the iconic Five-Storied Pagoda — the only one in the Hokuriku region — as well as the Main Hall, Founder's Hall, Sanko Hall, Bell Tower, Deva Gate, Study, and Kitchen. The temple garden, a designated scenic spot of Ishikawa Prefecture, uses the pagoda as borrowed scenery visible through the trees, creating one of the most photogenic views in the entire Noto Peninsula.

Near the temple entrance, the rest stop "Tera no Eki Jufuku" offers chilled amazake and zenzai (sweet red bean soup), providing a welcome refreshment after exploring the grounds. Hakui city itself is known for the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, a beach where visitors can drive along the shoreline, and the Keta Taisha Grand Shrine, one of Ishikawa's most revered Shinto sanctuaries. The broader Noto Peninsula offers scenic coastlines, traditional salt-making heritage, and tranquil fishing villages.

Access to Myojoji is by Noto Bus from JR Hakui Station, taking the Togi/Takahama-bound bus for approximately 20 minutes and alighting at the Myojoji-guchi stop, followed by a 10-minute walk. Visitors arriving by car can reach the temple in about 30 minutes from the Noto Expressway's Shika interchange.