Kotohira Town Public Hall

A Japanese-Style Public Hall near Kotohiragu

The Kotohira Town Public Hall (琴平町公会堂) is a timber public hall in traditional Japanese style, built in 1934 near the approach to Kotohiragu Shrine in Kotohira Town, Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on April 21, 1998. According to Kotohira Town, it looks up to Mount Zozu, with the green mountain as its backdrop.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey timber building with a tiled roof and a building area of 914 square metres; registration number 37-0014, owned by Kotohira Town.

A Hall for the Shrine Town

According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, this large hall in Japanese style stands along the approach to Kotohiragu and is made up of an entrance wing, a hall wing and a wing of tatami rooms.

Kotohira Town says the hall is still used for events and meetings. The Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual text notes that the hall seats 300 and that concerts and community events are held in the hall and garden.

Why It Was Registered

The Kotohira Town Public Hall was registered as a building that contributes to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that, although the hall interior was renewed in recent repairs, its graceful exterior, a great hip-and-gable roof with the smaller roofs of the entrance and tatami wings, is widely loved.

What to Look For

The key feature of the Kotohira Town Public Hall is its outline: a large hip-and-gable roof with the smaller roofs of the entrance and tatami-room wings set against it (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

According to Kotohira Town, the cherry trees in the garden burst into bloom together in spring. With Mount Zozu behind, the hall shows a Japanese-style public building fitting for a shrine town.

Using and Visiting the Hall

According to Kotohira Town, the Kotohira Town Public Hall is open from 8:30 to 17:00 with no closing days. The main hall and small meeting room can be hired by the hour; there is parking for about 15 cars and toilets.

The address is 975-1 Kotohira Town, a short walk from the approach to Kotohiragu. Enquiries: Kotohira Town Tourism and Commerce Section, 0877-75-6710.