Nine Bays Without Walls
Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor is a single-storey wooden corridor in Zentsujicho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, built in 1915 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2010.
It lies east to west across the forecourt of the Mieido Hall. Nine bays long and one bay deep, it has no walls on any side. The roof is laid in Hongawarabuki tiles with curved gables at both ends, and the building covers 114 square metres.
Square posts with chamfered arrises rise from stone bases, carrying three-block bracket sets, and are tied together by head beams cut in the profile of a Kōryō. A Taiheizuka strut supports the ridge. Since worshippers pass beneath it on the way to the hall, Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor works as part of the route rather than as a destination.
Where the Carving Is Concentrated
Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor was registered under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, as number 37-0341, directly after the 37-0340 given to the hall it faces.
Its interest lies in the density of the carving. Dragons occupy the struts between the crossbeams, and the projecting ends of the posts are worked into the heads of tapirs and lions. The Agency for Cultural Affairs description notes how these accumulate to ornament the approach to the hall. With no walls anywhere, every member is exposed and the carving has nowhere to hide.
The date of 1915 falls between the Shinden Hall of 1907 and the Mieido Hall of 1936. The corridor is 21 years older than the hall standing behind it, which means it was already decorating this approach in the time of an earlier building.
What to Look For
Walk through slowly and look up. A dragon appears in each bay, and the sequence runs the full nine. Standing near the middle, the same rank of carving extends in both directions.
Give attention to the tops of the posts as well. The tapir and lion heads projecting from the beam ends read best from below and slightly to one side. Round at the gable end, the curved bargeboard and the strut supporting the ridge beneath it come into view. Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor is low enough that none of this is far from the eye.
Visiting Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor
The corridor stands directly in front of the Mieido Hall, so everyone approaching the hall passes through it. Being open on all sides, it can be examined from within or without, and no ticket or reception desk applies.
The only paid admissions at the temple are the dark passage and the treasure house, both handled at the desk inside the hall. Nothing is posted about photography, but since the shots are all upwards, it is worth choosing a spot that leaves the way clear for other visitors. That desk can answer any question.
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Q&A
- What is worth seeing at Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor?
- The dragons carved into the struts between the crossbeams, and the tapir and lion heads on the projecting beam ends. Nothing is concealed, as the structure has no walls.
- When was Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor built?
- In 1915, 21 years before the present Mieido Hall of 1936.
- Can visitors walk through Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor?
- Yes. It is open on all sides, and the route to the Mieido Hall passes beneath it.
- How large is Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor?
- Nine bays by one, covering 114 square metres, under a tiled roof with curved gables at each end.
- Is there a charge to see Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor?
- No. Tickets are needed only for the dark passage and the treasure house inside the Mieido Hall.
Basic Information
| Name | Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-615 Zentsujicho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2010 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey wooden structure, tiled roof, building area 114 square metres |
| Owner | Zentsuji Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Open for passage at any time, no admission charge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall Front Corridor
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008173
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Mieido Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008172
- Sohonzan Zentsuji: Highlights of the Grounds
- https://zentsuji.com/keidai/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
