Former Butokuden

A Martial Arts Hall of 1899 in Okazaki

The Former Butokuden (旧武徳殿) is a timber hall for the martial arts of 1899 in Shogoin Entomicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on July 9, 1996 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a timber building roofed in pantiles, with a building area of 1,051.57 square metres; designation number 02327.

A Hall for the Martial Arts in Okazaki

According to Kyoto City, the Butokuden was built in the Okazaki district in 1899 and, after renovation, became part of the Kyoto City Budo Center in 1987. The city describes it as the oldest martial arts hall in Japan.

According to Kyoto Prefecture, it was designed by an architect then employed by the prefecture, who also worked on the design of the old main building of the Kyoto Prefectural Office.

Why It Is an Important Cultural Property

The Agency designated it under two criteria, excellence of design and excellence of technique. Its record has no commentary; the structure, date and criteria set out what was designated.

What to Look For

Look for the sheer size of this timber hall, with a building area of 1,051.57 square metres, under its pantiled roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

Visiting

According to Kyoto City, the Former Butokuden is used by the public as one of the facilities of the Kyoto City Budo Center, along with the main building, the archery hall and the sumo ring. No official information on visits by sightseers was found.