A Hilltop Hall of 1655 in the Kuma Region
The Takaderain Temple Bishamondo (高寺院毘沙門堂) is a three-bay hall on a hilltop of 1655 in Yamada, Yamae Village, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 9, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber hall with a tiled roof and a building area of 28 square metres; registration number 43-0015.
A Pillarless Hall on the Summit
The Takaderain Temple Bishamondo is a three-bay hall on a hilltop (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Inside there are no free-standing columns; an altar platform one bay wide runs across the back, and the ceiling is coffered.
An ink inscription on the altar platform dates the hall to 1655 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes the thick rafters with their extra upward curve, a local feature, and calls the hall a dated benchmark in the Kuma region, where many temples and shrines of the medieval and early modern periods survive; it was registered as a model of design.
What to Look For
Look for the thick, upswept rafters and the coffered ceiling over the pillarless interior (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Takaderain Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was the Bishamondo built?
- In 1655, as an ink inscription on the altar shows (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the interior like?
- It has no free-standing columns, an altar at the back and a coffered ceiling.
- Why is it important?
- It is a dated benchmark among the many old temples and shrines of the Kuma region.
- Where is Takaderain?
- In Yamada, Yamae Village, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture.
- When was the Takaderain Temple Bishamondo registered?
- On October 9, 1998 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Takaderain Temple Bishamondo (高寺院毘沙門堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1640 Yamada-ko, Yamae Village, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 1998/10/09 (Heisei 10) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, tiled roof, 28 m² |
| Owner | Takaderain Temple (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Takaderain Temple Bishamondo (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00000918
Last verified: 2026.10.21