Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall: An Early Eighteenth-Century Hall on the Approach
The Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall (龍口寺妙見堂, Ryūkō-ji Myōkendō) is a small Buddhist hall built in 1720 in the grounds of Ryukoji Temple in Katase, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; it enshrines an image of the bodhisattva Myōken and was listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2021 under registration number 14-293.
The hall stands on the west side of the approach to the Great Main Hall and faces east. It measures 4 bays by 3 bays, with a building area of 49 square meters, under a copper-sheet roof, and it was repaired in the late Meiji era. The Chozusha, the temple's purification fountain, stands directly across the path.
The Oldest of Ryukoji's Registered Buildings
The Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall is the oldest of the four registered buildings at Ryukoji. It predates the present Great Main Hall, completed in 1832, by 112 years.
It was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. A modest hall from the middle of the Edo period, still standing in a prominent spot beside the main approach, was judged to be an important part of how the temple grounds look.
Myōken and the Pine of Light
The principal image in the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall is Myōken Daibosatsu. As the temple explains, Myōken is also called Hokushin Myōken, the bodhisattva of the North Star. Long associated with the Big Dipper, the figure has been worshipped as a guardian of direction and personal fortune.
The temple says that its statue was carved from the wood of the "Pine of Light," the tree linked to the light that saved Nichiren during the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, and that the hall itself was built to honor both Nichiren's resolve and Myōken's protection. These are traditions handed down at the temple, not facts confirmed by records from the period.
A Gable-Entry Front and a Coffered Interior
The Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall has a hipped-and-gabled irimoya roof and is entered from the gable end, a layout called Tsumairi. From the approach, visitors see the triangular gable with a projecting porch roof, or Kōhai, in front of it. A veranda wraps around the front and the north side.
A flat plate called a daiwa sits on top of the posts, carrying simple three-bearing bracket sets. The eaves use a double layer of closely spaced rafters, so a dense row of slender rafter ends lines the roof edge. The temple notes that the hall is built of zelkova.
Inside is a single room under a coffered ceiling. Because the hall is entered from the gable, its 4-bay length runs away from the door. The rearmost bay serves as the altar, richly finished with paint and other ornament, and holds the statue of Myōken; the front 3 bays form the interior space.
Visiting the Ryukoji Myoken Hall
The exterior of the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall can be viewed freely from the approach. For the best look at the porch and gable, stand on the east side of the path in front of the Chozusha. With the fountain directly opposite, you can take in the full front of the Myoken Hall before or after rinsing your hands.
The veranda, which wraps around the front and continues along the north side, is easiest to see as a whole from the northeast corner of the hall.
The temple's website gives no information about opening the interior. If you would like to see the coffered ceiling and the altar, check with the temple first (phone 0466-25-7357).
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kanagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall
- [ Kamakura Buddha Hakone Onsen & Yokohama Tours ]
Q&A
- When was the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall built?
- In 1720, with repairs in the late Meiji era. It is the oldest of Ryukoji's four registered buildings.
- What is enshrined in the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall?
- A statue of Myōken Daibosatsu, the bodhisattva of the North Star. The temple says it was carved from the wood of the "Pine of Light" associated with Nichiren's rescue.
- Where is the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall located in the grounds?
- On the west side of the approach to the Great Main Hall, facing east. The Chozusha stands directly opposite.
- Can visitors enter the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall?
- The temple's website does not announce any opening of the interior. Please ask the temple if you wish to worship inside.
- How big is the Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall?
- It measures 4 bays by 3 bays and has a building area of 49 square meters. It is a single-story, gable-entry hall with a porch roof at the front.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryukoji Temple Myoken Hall (龍口寺妙見堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2822 Katase 3-chome, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2021 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 4 bays by 3 bays, building area 49 square meters |
| Owner | Ryukoji Temple Religious Corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior open to visitors; no public opening of the interior announced |
References
- Cultural Properties Database: Ryukoji Myoken Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00013696
- Ryukoji Myoken Hall (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/550835
- About Ryukoji Temple (Jakkozan Ryukoji, Japanese)
- https://ryuukoji.com/about/
Last verified: 2026.09.15
