Ryoginan (Tofukuji)

A Tofukuji Sub-Temple with the Oldest Surviving Hojo

The Ryoginan (Tofukuji) (竜吟庵, Ryoginan) is a sub-temple of Tofukuji in Honmachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, whose hojo (abbot's quarters) of about 1387 was designated a National Treasure in 1963; its Momoyama-period front gate and kuri are Important Cultural Properties.

According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Ryoginan was founded as a sub-temple of Tofukuji in 1291 by Mukan Fumon (1212 to 1292).

The Agency dates the hojo to around 1387 from an inscription on the back of the Ryoginan plaque hung by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

The Hojo, Kuri and Front Gate

The Agency regards the hojo as the oldest surviving abbot's quarters. Its central room has a wall at the front and no altar, preserving an older form than the standard early modern hojo, and its top-hinged shutters at the front and doors at the sides recall palace architecture.

The Agency records the kuri as a Momoyama building 10.0 by 11.0 metres, gabled and entered at the gable end, with a copper roof and including its lean-to and corridor. The front gate is a Momoyama gate one bay square, gabled, entered at the gable end and roofed with shingles.

The Origins of Hojo Architecture

The Agency praises the hojo's refined exterior as expressive of the early Muromachi period and as a fine building that recalls the origins of hojo architecture.

An early Muromachi hojo survives together with a Momoyama kuri and front gate.

Visiting Ryoginan

No official visitor information for Ryoginan could be found.

Please check with Tofukuji before visiting.