A Shingon Hall in the Mountains
The Jofukuji Temple Main Hall (定福寺本堂) is a single-storey timber Buddhist hall of 1779 facing south at the back of the grounds of Jofukuji, in the mountains in Otoyo Town, Nagaoka District, Kochi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 21, 2013 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber hall with a copper roof and a building area of 145 square metres, registration number 39-0275.
An Old Temple in the Toyonaga Hills
According to the Otoyo Town Tourism Development Association, Jofukuji is an old Shingon temple said to have been founded by the monk Gyoki in 724; it keeps many treasures, including its principal image of Amida, six laughing Jizo statues said to be unique in Japan, and the oldest image of Prince Shotoku in Shikoku. Otoyo Town notes the quiet mountain setting and the Manyo plant garden and lotus pond in the grounds.
The main hall and priests' quarters of Jofukuji were registered on June 21, 2013. The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists the owner as the religious corporation Jofukuji.
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Jofukuji Temple Main Hall was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a closed, inward-looking Shingon hall, boarded horizontally except for a few panelled doors on each side.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a hall five bays square with a hip-and-gable copper roof and an entrance canopy.
Inside the Jofukuji Temple Main Hall, the central three-bay square is a coffered inner sanctuary, with an outer hall across the front, side chapels and a rear chamber (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Jofukuji Temple Main Hall stands in the grounds of Jofukuji in Otoyo Town, about 25 minutes by car from the Otoyo interchange (Otoyo Town Tourism Development Association). The temple's website gives details of visits and sutra copying. Both registered buildings are gathered on the group page Jofukuji Temple (Otoyo).
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Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1779 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of building is it?
- A five-by-five-bay hall with a hip-and-gable copper roof and front canopy (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is the interior arranged?
- A coffered inner sanctuary surrounded by outer hall, side chapels and rear chamber (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What else is there to see?
- Six laughing Jizo, the oldest image of Prince Shotoku in Shikoku and a Manyo plant garden (Otoyo Town Tourism Development Association, Otoyo Town).
- When was the Jofukuji Temple Main Hall registered?
- On June 21, 2013.
Basic Information
| Name | Jofukuji Temple Main Hall (定福寺本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | Lot 159-3, Otoyo Town, Nagaoka District, Kochi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/06/21 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, copper roof, building area 145 square metres |
| Owner | Jofukuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | In the temple grounds (visits as guided by the temple) |
References
- Jofukuji Temple Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009677
- Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009678
- Jofukuji Temple (Otoyo Town Tourism Development Association)
- https://otoyo-kankou.com/spot/culture/jyofukuji/
- Jofukuji (Otoyo Town, in Japanese)
- https://www.town.otoyo.kochi.jp/life/detail.php?hdnKey=419
- Jofukuji (official website, in Japanese)
- https://jofukuji-kochi.jp/
Last verified: 2026.10.12
