The Thatched Heart of the Residential Compound
The Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall (萩原寺客殿) is a large guest hall of about 1764 in Hagiwara, Onohara-cho, Kannonji City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 19, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records construction around 1764, and describes a single-storey timber building, thatched and partly tiled, with a building area of 241 square metres and an attached gate; registration number 37-0403.
A Large Guest Hall at the Centre of the Compound
The Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall is a large reception building at the centre of the residential compound on the west side of the precinct, facing east (Agency for Cultural Affairs). At its north end is a formal entrance (Shikidai) under a cusped karahafu gable, accompanied by an Onarimon, a gate for honoured visitors.
In the southern part, three rooms run along the west side and two along the east, with a raised room of honour (Jōdan-no-ma) in the south-west corner (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The council report calls it a large thatched building with a formal entrance on its front.
Why It Was Registered
The Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency draws attention to the roof: a thatched core surrounded on all four sides by tiled lower roofs, a form known locally as 四方蓋 and a mark of regional building practice.
The council report also lists this roof among the distinctive features of the temple, and notes that the Great Gate with its guardhouse opens in front of the guest hall. The guest hall is the core around which the residential compound is arranged.
What to Look For
At the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall, start with the roof: the steep thatch rises in the middle, and a band of tiled roof wraps around its lower edge on every side (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The karahafu-roofed entrance at the north end, together with the Onarimon, forms the formal approach for guests. The Great Gate and Guardhouse stands directly in front of the hall, so the guest hall is first seen through the gate.
Visiting
The Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall belongs to the residential compound, and no official information on interior access was found. Its thatched roof can be seen over the Great Gate from in front of the compound. Directions to the temple and its yearly events are gathered on the Hagiwaraji Temple page.
Q&A
- When was the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall built?
- Around 1764 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is unusual about the roof of the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall?
- A thatched roof ringed on all four sides by tiled lower roofs, a local form called 四方蓋 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How are the rooms of the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall arranged?
- Three rooms on the west side and two on the east in the southern part, a raised room of honour in the south-west corner, and a formal entrance at the north end (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I go inside the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall?
- No official information on interior access was found; the exterior can be seen from in front of the Great Gate.
- When was the Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall registered?
- On December 19, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall (萩原寺客殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2742-1 Hagiwara, Onohara-cho, Kannonji City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered December 19, 2014 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, thatched and partly tiled, building area 241 m², with gate |
| Owner | Religious Corporation Hagiwaraji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from in front of the Great Gate; no official information on interior access |
References
- Hagiwaraji Temple Guest Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010363
- Registration of Tangible Cultural Properties (Structures), Council for Cultural Affairs report of July 18, 2014 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunkazai/shokai/yukei_kenzobutsu/pdf/bunkasingi_tousin_140718.pdf
Last verified: 2026.11.01
