A Shin Buddhist Hall on the Hokkoku Road
The Gyozenji Temple Main Hall (行善寺本堂) is a Jodo Shinshu main hall of 1830 in Furuma, Shinano Town, Kamiminochi District, Nagano Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 14, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey timber building with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 259 square metres, altered in 1976 and 2020; registration number 20-0599.
A Shin Temple at the Furuma Post Town
The Gyozenji Temple Main Hall stands at Furuma, a post town on the Hokkoku road: seven bays square under a hip-and-gable sheet-iron roof, with a three-bay porch and verandas on the front and sides (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The eaves are carried on diagonal projecting beams, with a ceiling beneath them supporting the eave purlin and an exposed eave beyond (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Inside, the outer sanctuary is at the front and the inner sanctuary at the centre behind, with side rooms on either side, the usual Shin Buddhist plan.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it is a Shin Buddhist temple going back to the Edo period in a post town, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the eaves on diagonal projecting beams and the three-bay porch (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Gyozenji Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1830; altered in 1976 and 2020 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is it?
- Seven bays square with a three-bay porch.
- What is the plan?
- The usual Shin Buddhist layout of outer and inner sanctuaries and side rooms.
- Where is it?
- At Furuma, a post town on the Hokkoku road, Shinano Town, Nagano.
- When was the Gyozenji Temple Main Hall registered?
- On October 14, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Gyozenji Temple Main Hall (行善寺本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 541 Furuma, Shinano Town, Kamiminochi District, Nagano Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/10/14 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, sheet-iron roof, 259 m² |
| Owner | Gyozenji Temple (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Gyozenji Temple Main Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00014012
Last verified: 2026.10.21