An 1833 Storehouse in the Temple Compound
The Motoyamaji Treasure House (本山寺宝蔵, Motoyama-ji Hozo) is a clay-walled storehouse built in 1833 at Motoyamaji Temple in Motoyama, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, and was entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014. It was built to protect the temple's treasures and ritual objects from fire.
It stands north of the Main Hall, facing west, at the southeast corner of the honbo, the compound that houses the chief priest's residence and the temple office. Even its address differs from the buildings around the Main Hall, falling in the Yashikiuchi district. It has two storeys and a building area of 15 square metres.
Why It Was Registered
The registration criterion is contribution to the historic landscape. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the Motoyamaji Treasure House is carefully finished inside and out, and singles out two unusual features: its square plan, and the pair of cusped windows on the south side of the upper floor.
Storehouses are usually rectangular with a gabled roof. This one combines a square plan with a pyramidal Hōgyō-zukuri roof whose four slopes meet at a single point, giving a storehouse the outline of a small temple hall.
What to Look For
It is a two-storey Dozo-zukuri building, with the lower walls finished in Namako-kabe: flat tiles fixed to the wall with their joints raised in rounded ridges of plaster, which protect the base of the clay walls from rain and knocks. The roof is laid in Hongawarabuki tile.
On the west side is a doorway sheltered by a small canopy. Inside, the walls are lined with vertical boards, and the ceilings differ by floor: exposed joists on the ground floor and a batten Saobuchi-tenjō ceiling upstairs.
The feature to look for is on the south face of the upper floor: two Katōmado windows side by side, their heads drawn in a flame-like curve. The shape is common in temple halls, but rare on a storehouse.
Visiting
The Motoyamaji Treasure House sits inside the honbo compound, away from the main route through the grounds. The interior is not open, and we could not confirm from the temple how close visitors may approach the exterior. If you would like to see it, ask at the stamp office first.
The paired windows are on the upper floor of the south face, so if access is allowed, look for a spot on the south side. The honbo is also where the temple community lives, so ask permission before photographing or entering, and follow any signs on site.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Motoyamaji Treasure House
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Q&A
- When was the Motoyamaji Treasure House built, and when was it registered?
- It was built in 1833 and entered on the national register as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014, under registration number 37-0411.
- Can visitors see the Motoyamaji Treasure House?
- The interior is not open. Because it stands inside the honbo compound, we could not confirm from the temple how close visitors may approach the exterior either. Please ask at the stamp office if you would like to see it.
- What is unusual about the Motoyamaji Treasure House?
- Its square plan with a pyramidal roof, rare for a storehouse, and the pair of cusped windows on the south side of the upper floor. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out both.
- How is the Motoyamaji Treasure House built?
- It is a two-storey clay-walled storehouse with namako tile cladding on the lower walls and a pyramidal tiled roof. The inside walls are boarded, with exposed joists on the ground floor and a batten ceiling upstairs. The building area is 15 square metres.
- Where is the Motoyamaji Treasure House within the temple?
- It stands north of the Main Hall, facing west, at the southeast corner of the honbo compound, away from the main route through the grounds.
Basic Information
| Name | Motoyamaji Treasure House (本山寺宝蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1359-31 Yashikiuchi, Motoyama-ko, Toyonaka-cho, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Clay-walled storehouse, 2 storeys, tiled roof, building area 15 square metres |
| Owner | Religious Corporation Motoyamaji |
| Public Access | Interior closed; inside the honbo compound, ask the temple about viewing the exterior |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Motoyamaji Treasure House
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010371
- Mitoyo City: List of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.city.mitoyo.lg.jp/kakuka/kyouikuiinkai/shogai/3_1/history_bunnkazai/13938.html
- Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Association: Shippozan Jihoin Motoyamaji (Japanese)
- https://88shikokuhenro.jp/70motoyamaji/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
