The Formal Face of the Residential Quarters
At the centre of the residential quarters on the northwest side of Yugyo-ji stands the Obankata, a reception building of about 226 square metres. Its front is dominated by a large irimoya-style entrance porch topped with a cusped gable, carved in fine detail, through which the Yugyo Shonin, the head priest of the sect, would set out on his travels.
Shojoko-ji, popularly Yugyo-ji, is the head temple of the Ji-shu. Its priests are known as Yugyo Shonin, wandering priests who in earlier centuries travelled the country distributing nembutsu slips before retiring to this temple. The Obankata is the formal stage on which those departures and receptions took place.
Why the Building Is Registered
Registered in 2016 for its contribution to the historic landscape, the Obankata was built in 1913 and remodelled in the early Showa period. It has an irimoya roof clad in copper, and inside follows a six-room hojo plan, with the innermost upper room fitted with an alcove and other formal furnishings.
The carved entrance porch is the building's showpiece, appropriate to the standing of a head temple and to its role as a place of ceremony and reception.
What to Look For
The carving on the cusped gable of the entrance porch is worth studying from the precinct. The building's dignity comes less from size than from the care of its formal front and the ceremonial use it was designed for.
As part of the temple's residential and working quarters, the interior is generally not open to visitors, but the exterior can be seen from the grounds during daytime hours.
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Q&A
- What was the Obankata used for?
- It served as a formal reception building, and its carved entrance porch was used for occasions such as the departure of the Yugyo Shonin on his travels.
- Who is the Yugyo Shonin?
- The head priest of the Ji-shu sect, historically a wandering priest who travelled distributing nembutsu slips before retiring to this temple.
- When was it built?
- In 1913, with remodelling in the early Showa period.
- What is the interior plan?
- A six-room hojo layout, with formal furnishings such as an alcove in the innermost upper room.
- Can visitors go inside?
- The building is part of the temple's residential quarters and is generally closed to the public; its exterior is visible from the precinct.
Basic Information
| Name | Obankata of Shojoko-ji (Yugyo-ji) |
|---|---|
| Location | 神奈川県藤沢市西富一丁目208 (Fujisawa, Kanagawa) |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Registered | 25 February 2016 (Reg. no. 14-0208) |
| Date | 1913 (Taisho 2); remodelled early Showa |
| Structure | Timber, single-storey; irimoya copper roof; floor area approx. 226 sq m |
| Owner | Religious corporation Shojoko-ji |
| Access | Exterior visible from the precinct (daytime); interior not open |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database (Obankata)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010935
- Yugyo-ji (Shojoko-ji) official site — history
- https://yugyoji.or.jp/engi/
- Fujisawa City Tourism — Yugyo-ji
- https://www.fujisawa-kanko.jp/spot/fujisawa/03.html
- Shojoko-ji — Wikipedia (Japanese)
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%85%E6%B5%84%E5%85%89%E5%AF%BA
Last verified: 2026.07.05