Tsukiji, South Side of Daishoji Temple

Daishōji Nanmen Tsuikiji: A Late Edo Period Earthen Wall Protecting Kyoto's Most Distinguished Imperial Nunnery

Standing quietly along the south side of Daishōji Temple in Kyoto's Kamigyō Ward, the Nanmen Tsuikiji (south-facing earthen wall) is a nationally registered tangible cultural property dating from the late Edo period. This unassuming clay wall, topped with traditional ceramic tiles, is far more than a simple boundary marker. It encloses the sacred grounds of what was once the highest-ranking nunnery in all of Japan — a temple where 24 imperial princesses served as head priestesses across the centuries. The wall stands as a quiet guardian of over six hundred years of aristocratic and imperial heritage, connecting the Muromachi Shogunate era to the present day.

The History of Daishōji Temple

Daishōji Temple was established in 1382 during the turbulent period of the Northern and Southern Courts. The temple's origins trace back to Musō Jōen, a noblewoman born Hino Nobuko, who was the aunt of Hino Nariko — the consort of the powerful third Muromachi Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. After taking Buddhist vows in 1368, Hino Nobuko was given a residence called the Okamatsu-dono within Yoshimitsu's grand estate known as Hana no Gosho, the "Flower Palace." Upon her passing in 1382, the residence was converted into a temple named Daishōji, after her posthumous Buddhist name.

Over the centuries, the temple suffered through the devastation of the Ōnin War (1467–1477) and was forced to relocate multiple times. It finally returned to its current location — near the original site of the Flower Palace — in 1697 during the Genroku era. When a daughter of Emperor Ōgimachi entered the temple, it received an imperial edict designating it as the foremost nunnery in Japan. From that point onward, it became known as Otera Gosho, the "Palace Nunnery," and successive imperial princesses continued to serve as its abbesses.

Understanding the Nanmen Tsuikiji

The term "tsuikiji" (築地) refers to a specific style of Japanese wall construction in which layers of earth are compacted and built up, then capped with ceramic roof tiles. This method has been used in Japan for centuries, particularly around temples, shrines, and aristocratic residences. The Nanmen Tsuikiji of Daishōji runs along the southern face of the temple compound, physically and symbolically demarcating the boundary between the sacred interior of the nunnery and the secular world outside.

Constructed during the late Edo period (roughly mid-18th to mid-19th century), this earthen wall is built as a dobei (clay wall) with a tile roof. Its construction coincides with a period when Daishōji was actively maintained under imperial patronage, and when Emperor Go-Mizunoo's descendants continued to serve as the temple's head priestesses. The wall reflects the dignified yet restrained aesthetic appropriate for an institution of the highest imperial rank among nunneries.

Why It Was Registered as a Cultural Property

In January 2011, the Nanmen Tsuikiji was registered as a national tangible cultural property along with eight other structures within the Daishōji compound, including the main hall, the Miya Goten (palace hall), the front gate, the tea room Zangetsu-tei, the corridor, the entrance hall, the high fence, and the east-facing earthen wall. Together, these structures preserve the architectural characteristics of an early modern imperial nunnery in remarkable completeness.

The south-facing wall contributes significantly to the historical landscape of the area, fulfilling one of the key criteria for registration under Japan's cultural properties system. As traditional earthen walls across Kyoto gradually disappear due to urban development and modernization, the Nanmen Tsuikiji serves as an important surviving example of the wall-building traditions that once defined the streetscapes around the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Highlights and Points of Interest

While Daishōji Temple is normally closed to the public, the Nanmen Tsuikiji can be appreciated from the outside as you walk along the streets surrounding the temple. The warm, earthen tones of the wall, weathered by centuries of Kyoto's seasons, present a beautiful contrast to the dark ceramic tiles that cap its surface. Above the wall, glimpses of mature trees and traditional tiled rooftops hint at the serene world hidden within.

The wall's location along Karasuma-dōri — one of Kyoto's main north-south arteries — means it stands in quiet dialogue with the modern city around it. Directly across the street lies Doshisha University's Imadegawa Campus, with its striking Meiji-era Western-style buildings. This juxtaposition of the feudal-era earthen wall and the red-brick academic buildings creates a uniquely layered cityscape that tells the story of Japan's transition from the Edo period into modernity.

During occasional special openings organized by the Kyoto Association for the Preservation of Ancient Culture or the "Kyō no Fuyu no Tabi" (Winter Journeys in Kyoto) program, visitors can enter the temple grounds to see the interior, including the stunning karesansui dry landscape garden designated as a Kyoto City Scenic Place, the elegant fusuma paintings by Mochizuki Gyokusen, and the remarkable collection of imperial dolls associated with the successive princess-abbesses.

Surrounding Area

Daishōji is located in one of the most historically rich neighborhoods in Kyoto. The Kyoto Imperial Palace and its surrounding parkland, Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, lies just to the south and east, offering expansive grounds for walking beneath ancient pines and plum trees. Shōkoku-ji, the great Rinzai Zen monastery to which Daishōji was historically affiliated, is a short walk to the northeast and features the Jōtenkaku Museum with its important collection of Zen art.

The nearby Doshisha University campus itself is worth exploring for its registered tangible cultural property buildings designed in Western style during the Meiji era. A few blocks to the west lies Shiramine Jingū, a shrine dedicated to kemari (traditional court football). Heading south toward the Kyoto Imperial Palace, visitors will find Nashinoki Shrine, known for its beautiful autumn foliage and its connection to the Sanjō-Sanetsumu family of court nobles.