Hokaiji Amida Hall

A Pure Land Hall of the Early Kamakura Period

The Hokaiji Amida Hall (法界寺阿弥陀堂) is an Amida hall of the early Kamakura period in Hino Nishidaidocho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, and was designated a National Treasure on June 9, 1951 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Agency records a single-storey hall five bays square with a pent roof (mokoshi), under a pyramidal roof of cypress bark; designation number 00009.

The Agency record also gives an earlier designation date of December 28, 1897, the date of its designation under the former law.

Five Bays Square, with a Great Amida

The Agency's commentary says there is no settled view of when the Amida Hall was built, but that its style points to the early Kamakura period. It is square in plan, five bays each way, with a pent roof around it and a pyramidal roof of cypress bark. The inner sanctuary is one bay square, and the altar at its centre holds a seated Amida on the grand joroku scale, itself a National Treasure.

According to the temple, a jewel crowns the pyramidal roof, with the pent roof below it. Inside, four columns around the Amida separate the inner sanctuary from the outer; the inner sanctuary survives as first built, and the shape of its altar platform keeps the features of its time.

Why It Is a National Treasure

The Agency describes the hall as exceedingly clean and generous in feeling, and says that among Pure Land halls it has a character unlike that of the Phoenix Hall at Byodoin and others.

Paintings around the Sanctuary

The Agency notes heavenly beings and other designs painted on the columns, ceiling and upper wall panels. The temple says the four columns carry deities of the Diamond World mandala, the plaster walls above the tie beams show flying celestials, and the coved coffered ceiling is painted with floral motifs; at first the whole interior was brightly coloured to evoke the Pure Land.

What to Look For

The seated Amida stands at the centre of the hall, and the temple says visitors can walk round it as they pray. Outside, look for the cypress-bark pyramidal roof layered over the pent roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Hokaiji Temple).

Visiting

According to the temple, there is a fee to enter the Amida Hall. Opening hours, fees and directions are on the Hokaiji Temple page.