An Esoteric Buddhist Hall Rebuilt in 1300
The Motoyamaji Main Hall (本山寺本堂, Motoyama-ji Hondo) is a Buddhist hall built in 1300 at Motoyamaji Temple in Motoyama, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was designated a National Treasure on 22 June 1955. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records an earlier designation as an Important Cultural Property on 15 April 1924.
It is the main hall of Temple 70 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, and its principal image is Bato Kannon, the horse-headed form of the bodhisattva of compassion. The hall is five bays by five, single-storied, under a hipped roof of Hongawarabuki tile, with a three-bay Kōhai porch at the front. The designation also covers, as Tsuketari appended items, the 3 shrine cabinets inside and 1 section of the ridge beam.
Why It Is a National Treasure
The Agency for Cultural Affairs calls the Motoyamaji Main Hall a fine example of an esoteric Buddhist main hall, with an interesting design and an excellent shrine cabinet inside. A plan five bays square is the most common size for medieval esoteric halls, and the division between inner and outer sanctuary follows the usual practice of the time. It is a textbook example, properly realised.
Its date is also unusually secure. An inscription on the ridge beam records repairs in 1239, 1255 and 1291 and a rebuilding in 1300. On top of that, ink writing dated 1300 turned up on the underside of a foundation stone, a find the Agency itself describes as rare, which settled that the present hall is the rebuilding of that year.
The hall has also changed shape once. A dismantling repair in 1842 and 1843 gave the exterior an Edo-period look, and the dismantling of 1955 restored it to its original form. What you see today is that restored medieval exterior.
What to Look For
Two tiers of intermediate supports
The style is Wayō, the native Japanese manner. Outside, the Kumimono brackets step out once; inside they are simple Mitsudo-gumi three-block sets. The detail to find from outside is between the pillars. Here the intermediate supports are stacked in two tiers, a short post and block below and a carved Kaerumata frog-leg strut above. The Agency calls this somewhat unusual and cites the main hall of Myotsuji in Fukui Prefecture as a parallel.
The inner and outer sanctuaries
According to the Agency, the inner sanctuary is three bays by two under a coffered Gō-tenjō ceiling, with a three-bay shrine cabinet set on the altar at the centre front, roofed hip-and-gable with its entrance on the gable end. Latticed doors and diamond lattice close the front and sides of the inner sanctuary, and a one-bay aisle with an exposed Keshō-yaneura roof underside wraps the sides and back. The outer sanctuary is two bays deep: the front bay and the side bays are aisles with exposed roof undersides, and the rear three-by-one-bay area has a coffered ceiling.
A shrine cabinet as old as the hall
The shrine cabinet built into the inner sanctuary is contemporary with the hall and is valued for showing architectural details in miniature: brackets, frog-leg struts, gable ornament and ridge-end boards. Inside it are three Kasuga-style cabinets made no later than the early Muromachi period.
Visiting
The exterior of the Motoyamaji Main Hall can be viewed freely from the temple grounds; pass through the Nio Gate on the south side and the hall stands directly ahead. We found no official information from the temple about interior viewing, so assume that the shrine cabinet and the coffered ceiling of the inner sanctuary are not visible on an ordinary visit.
Outside, walk round to the side and look up at the gaps between the pillars at an angle to pick out the two tiers of supports. The three-bay porch reads best from a little further back, together with the full sweep of the hipped roof. We found no official rule against photographing the exterior, but please avoid photographing inside the hall or during services, and follow any signs on site.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Motoyamaji Main Hall
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- When was the Motoyamaji Main Hall built, and when was it designated a National Treasure?
- It was built in 1300. It was designated an Important Cultural Property on 15 April 1924 and a National Treasure on 22 June 1955.
- How do we know when the Motoyamaji Main Hall was built?
- An inscription on the ridge beam records a rebuilding in 1300, and ink writing of the same date was found on the underside of a foundation stone. The ridge beam also records earlier repairs in 1239, 1255 and 1291.
- What should I look for on the outside of the Motoyamaji Main Hall?
- The supports between the pillars. They are stacked in two tiers, a short post below and a carved frog-leg strut above, which the Agency for Cultural Affairs calls somewhat unusual. They are easiest to see looking up from the side at an angle.
- Can you go inside the Motoyamaji Main Hall?
- We found no official information from the temple about interior viewing. Assume that the coffered ceiling and shrine cabinet of the inner sanctuary are not visible on an ordinary visit.
- What are the appended items in the Motoyamaji Main Hall designation?
- They are items designated together with the hall: 3 shrine cabinets and 1 section of the ridge beam.
Basic Information
| Name | Motoyamaji Main Hall (本山寺本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | Motoyama, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | National Treasure (building) |
| Year Designated | National Treasure 1955/6/22 (Showa 30); Important Cultural Property 1924/4/15 (Taisho 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building (appended: 3 shrine cabinets, 1 section of ridge beam) |
| Dimensions | Five bays by five, single storey, hipped roof, three-bay porch, hongawarabuki tile |
| Owner | Motoyamaji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the temple grounds; no admission fee |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Motoyamaji Main Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/3305
- Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Association: Shippozan Jihoin Motoyamaji (Japanese)
- https://88shikokuhenro.jp/70motoyamaji/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
