What Is Honzenji Temple Guest Hall?
Honzenji Temple Guest Hall (本善寺客殿, Honzen-ji Kyakuden) is a large reception building at Honzenji in Iigai, Yoshino Town, Nara Prefecture, used for formal audiences with visitors; the national database dates it to the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1750), and it became a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on January 15, 2010.
It stands west of the main hall, between the entrance to the north and the Onari Goten hall to the south, with the priests' quarters joined at its northwest corner. With a building area of 227 square meters, it is the third largest of the registered buildings after the main hall and the priests' quarters.
An Audience Room with a Raised Floor
Honzenji Temple Guest Hall measures 16 by 13 meters. Its roof changes form along its length, hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) at the north and plain gable (Kirizuma-zukuri) at the south, and is covered in interlocking pantiles (Sangawara-buki).
Inside, the rooms run in two rows. The eastern row is the audience room, whose south end is a raised dais room (Jōdan-no-ma), with a broad veranda outside. The western row holds three rooms, the southernmost fitted with a decorative alcove. A raised floor was the Japanese way of marking rank between host and guest, and it hints at the standing the temple enjoyed as a family branch of the Honganji receiving important visitors.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs registered Honzenji Temple Guest Hall for its contribution to the historic landscape, under number 29-0156, describing it as a large guest hall used for audiences.
The Heart of a Reception Suite
Honzenji Temple Guest Hall is the middle link in a sequence: guests came in through the entrance to the north, were received in the guest hall, and the most honored went on to the Onari Goten hall to the south. The national description treats that hall and the guest hall as one refined suite for receiving visitors.
The temple's guide dates the guest hall, together with the entrance, to 1772. That differs from the mid-Edo range in the database, which this page follows. The year 1772 is the one the database gives for the Onari Goten hall.
Seeing Honzenji Temple Guest Hall
Honzenji Temple Guest Hall lies west of the main hall. From the space between the two, you can see the roof switch from hip-and-gable at the north to plain gable at the south. The broad veranda on the east side runs along the outside of the audience room.
The rooms are used for temple life and visitors, and there is no announcement of regular opening. Contact the temple in advance if you would like to see the raised dais room. Directions to the grounds are on the Honzenji Temple page.
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Q&A
- What was Honzenji Temple Guest Hall used for?
- It was a large hall for formal audiences with visitors. The eastern row of rooms is the audience room.
- What is the raised room in Honzenji Temple Guest Hall?
- A jodan-no-ma, a dais room at the south end of the audience room, with a floor set higher to mark rank.
- When was Honzenji Temple Guest Hall built?
- The national database gives the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1750); the temple's guide gives 1772.
- How big is Honzenji Temple Guest Hall?
- It measures 16 by 13 meters, with a building area of 227 square meters.
- Can visitors see inside Honzenji Temple Guest Hall?
- No regular opening is announced. Please contact the temple.
Basic Information
| Name | Honzenji Temple Guest Hall (本善寺客殿) |
|---|---|
| Location | 567 Iigai, Yoshino Town, Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registration no. 29-0156 |
| Year Designated | Registered January 15, 2010 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single story, tiled roof; building area 227 square meters (16 meters by 13 meters) |
| Owner | Honzenji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the grounds; no regular interior opening announced |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties: 本善寺客殿 (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00008022
- Cultural Heritage Online: 本善寺客殿 (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/207773
Last verified: 2026.09.27
