A Waiting Hall from Fushimi Castle
The Gekkaden (月華殿) is a building said to have been a waiting hall for lords at Fushimi Castle of the Momoyama period in Honmoku Sannotani, Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on December 14, 1931 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey hip-and-gable building with a cypress-bark roof, made up of the Bamboo room, the Hiogi room and verandas on three sides; designation number 00889.
The 1931 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.
Said to Be a Waiting Hall of Fushimi Castle
The Gekkaden is a single-storey Momoyama-period building under a hip-and-gable roof of cypress bark, made up of the Bamboo room, the Hiogi (fan) room and verandas on three sides (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
According to Sankeien, it is said to have been built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 at Fushimi Castle in Kyoto as a waiting hall for the lords, and was moved here in 1918 from the Konzoin of Mimurotoji in Uji. Its wall paintings are attributed to Kaiho Yusho, and the room projects on a stilted frame over the valley trees.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency record has no commentary; the Momoyama date and the layout of rooms set out what was designated.
What to Look For
Look for the cypress-bark roof and the room projecting over the valley on its stilted frame (Sankeien).
Visiting
It is owned by the Sankeien Hoshokai Foundation (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the Sankeien website, the garden is open from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) and closed from December 26 to 31; admission is 900 yen for adults (high-school age and over) and 200 yen for primary and junior high school pupils. Each building is introduced together on the Sankeien page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In the Momoyama period, said to be 1603.
- Where did it come from?
- Fushimi Castle, by way of Mimurotoji in Uji.
- When was it moved here?
- In 1918 (Sankeien).
- Who painted the walls?
- They are attributed to Kaiho Yusho.
- When was the Gekkaden designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On December 14, 1931 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Gekkaden (月華殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 58-1 Honmoku Sannotani, Naka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1931/12/14 (Showa 6) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey, hip-and-gable, cypress bark |
| Owner | Sankeien Hoshokai Foundation |
| Public Access | By bus from Yokohama, Sakuragicho and other stations (Sankeien) |
References
- Gekkaden (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/579
- Gekkaden (Sankeien, in Japanese)
- https://www.sankeien.or.jp/learn/facilities/gekkaden/
- Admission (Sankeien, in Japanese)
- https://www.sankeien.or.jp/price-service/
Last verified: 2026.10.26
