A Roofed Passage Linking Three Halls
Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor is a single-storey wooden passage in Zentsujicho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, built around 1940 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2010.
It starts at the Shoryoden Hall, wraps around the side and rear of the Jizo Hall, and ends at the Goma Hall. The Kirizuma-zukuri gabled roof is sheathed in copper, the building covers 56 square metres, the floor is beaten earth, and no ceiling is fitted, leaving the Keshō-yaneura rafters exposed.
The side facing the Jizo Hall stands open, while the north and west walls are Shinkabe plaster pierced by Renji-mado, with a single doorway. Because one side is open and the other closed, anyone walking through is turned naturally towards the small hall.
Why a Corridor Counts as a Listed Building
Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor was registered under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, as number 37-0345.
A corridor serves no purpose on its own. It earned a listing because it binds three halls of the same period into one composition, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs description notes that the passage frames a quiet, enclosed space. The northern quarter of Tanjoin was laid out as an alternation of halls and passages; remove the passages and the sequence falls apart.
The Enma Hall and its corridor further east follow the same design vocabulary, so the two passages read as a matched pair.
What to Look For
Look up. With no ceiling boards, the structure is on view: the Kaerumata strut carrying the ridge, the Kōryō beams spanning the width, the boat-shaped bracket arms on the posts. The posts themselves are square rather than round, which keeps the whole thing plain.
Underfoot the floor is bare earth, and footsteps carry. Seen from the Jizo Hall side, the bays of Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor line up like a row of frames, each holding a slice of garden and roof. Light from the latticed windows on the north side falls in narrow bands across the floor.
Visiting Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor
The passage lies north of the Mieido Hall, between the Shoryoden Hall and the Goma Hall, directly on the route most visitors take. Moving between halls generally means walking under its roof.
It is usually open for passage, though during services it is in use and can only be seen from outside. The only ticketed interiors at the temple are the underground passage and the treasure house, so this corridor needs no reception desk. Nothing is posted about photography; ask at the desk inside the Mieido Hall if your shot takes in the interior of a hall.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- What does Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor connect?
- The Shoryoden Hall, the Jizo Hall and the Goma Hall, running around the side and rear of the middle one so that all three can be walked in sequence.
- When was Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor built?
- Around 1940, the same period as the three halls it links.
- Can you walk through Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor?
- Usually yes, though it is used during services and at those times is viewed from outside.
- What is worth noticing in Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor?
- The open rafters overhead, with the ridge strut, the curved beams and the boat-shaped bracket arms all left visible.
- How large is Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor?
- A single-storey timber structure of 56 square metres under a copper-sheathed gabled roof.
Basic Information
| Name | Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall 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, copper roof, building area 56 square metres |
| Owner | Zentsuji Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior visible at any time; usually open for passage |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Goma Hall Corridor
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008177
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Zentsuji Tanjoin Temple Jizo Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008176
- Sohonzan Zentsuji: Highlights of the Grounds
- https://zentsuji.com/keidai/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
