A Small Hall for the Dead on a Rise
On a rise to the northwest of the Main Hall at Yugyo-ji stands the Ekodo, a small memorial hall of a single bay with a surrounding pent roof, or mokoshi. Ekodo means a hall for the transfer of merit to the dead, and this one is a carefully made building of about thirty-one square metres.
Shojoko-ji, popularly Yugyo-ji, is the head temple of the Ji-shu sect, whose practice centres on the nembutsu, the invocation of Amida Buddha. The Ekodo gives that practice a dedicated setting for memorial rites, apart from the great Main Hall below.
Why the Hall Is Registered
Registered in 2016 for its contribution to the historic landscape, the Ekodo dates from the early Showa period. Its roof is a pyramidal hogyo form clad in copper, and inside it is a single floored room, its core ceiling finished as a raised, finely latticed coffered ceiling.
The detailing follows the wayo, or Japanese, mode: the core carries deep degumi bracketing while the surrounding mokoshi uses a lighter three-part bracket, and above the altar a frog-leg strut in a medieval-style design is set as ornament.
What to Look For
For a small building, the Ekodo is unusually considered: note the pyramidal roof, the raised latticed ceiling within, and the medieval-style strut above the altar. Its position on a rise gives this corner of the precinct a settled quiet.
The hall stands within the grounds and can be seen from the precinct during daytime hours; its interior is used for memorial rites.
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Q&A
- What is an Ekodo?
- A hall dedicated to eko, the transfer of merit to the dead, used for memorial rites. This one stands on a rise northwest of the Main Hall.
- When was it built?
- In the early Showa period, roughly the second quarter of the twentieth century.
- What is the roof form?
- A pyramidal hogyo roof clad in copper sheeting, over a single-bay hall with a surrounding pent roof.
- What is notable inside?
- A raised, finely latticed coffered ceiling, wayo-style bracketing, and a medieval-style frog-leg strut set above the altar.
- Can visitors enter?
- The hall is used for memorial rites and generally not open to casual visitors, but it can be seen from the precinct in the daytime.
Basic Information
| Name | Ekodo (Memorial Hall) 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. 14-0211) |
| Date | Early Showa |
| Structure | Timber, single-storey; pyramidal copper roof with pent roof; area approx. 31 sq m |
| Owner | Religious corporation Shojoko-ji |
| Access | Visible from the precinct (daytime); interior used for rites |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — National Cultural Properties Database (Ekodo)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010938
- Yugyo-ji (Shojoko-ji) official site
- https://yugyoji.or.jp/
- 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