Priests' Quarters Like a Farmhouse
The Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters (定福寺庫裏) is a single-storey timber residence of the late Edo period, moved here in 1885, facing south on a terrace below the main hall of Jofukuji 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 building with a copper roof and a building area of 241 square metres, registration number 39-0276.
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 Priests' Quarters was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that it preserves traces of a large local farmhouse, such as the main pillar left in the former earth-floored area on the east.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a hip-and-gable copper-roofed building with a private chapel projecting at the back; ten rooms in two rows form the main block, with a gabled entrance toward the west, formal rooms with an alcove at the west end and a veranda on the south-west.
The main pillar survives in the former earth-floored area on the east side of the Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters, recalling a large mountain farmhouse (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters 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 the late Edo period; it was moved here in 1885 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the layout?
- Ten rooms in two rows, with an entrance toward the west and formal rooms with an alcove at the west end (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What farmhouse features remain?
- The main pillar in the former earth-floored area on the east (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where does it stand?
- On a terrace below the main hall, facing south (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters registered?
- On June 21, 2013.
Basic Information
| Name | Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters (定福寺庫裏) |
|---|---|
| Location | Lot 158-3, 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 241 square metres |
| Owner | Jofukuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | In the temple grounds (visits as guided by the temple) |
References
- Jofukuji Temple Priests' Quarters (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009678
- Jofukuji Temple Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00009677
- 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
