A small hall built around a fire
Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall is a Buddhist hall in Hase, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, dated to the late nineteenth century and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008.
It stands a level above the Main Hall to the west, facing west onto the path that climbs from the Nio Gate to the Kannon Hall. The single-storeyed timber building measures 7.4 metres along the ridge by 7.1 metres, under a gabled roof of pantiles, with a floor area of only 67 square metres. A covered walkway on the south side runs across to the Main Hall.
No document fixes the date. Sado City reasons from two facts: the building does not appear on a precinct drawing of 1800, and the Bell Tower next to it is recorded as having been moved here in 1876. The national database assigns it to the early Meiji period and notes repairs in 1984.
Kept for the fire ritual
A goma hall exists for one rite: a fire is lit on a raised hearth and offerings are fed into it while prayers are recited. Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape, that is, as one link in the chain of buildings along the approach.
Inside, a broad veranda runs along the west front and the east side divides into two rooms. The southern room holds a standing wooden figure of Fudo Myoo, 98.5 centimetres tall, carved from a single block of Japanese cypress and attributed to the late Heian period. The fire altar stands before it. The temple has long called this figure the Fudo of Hase.
The hall is small, yet the woodwork around the altar is elaborate, with bracket sets and carved nose projections. Concentrating the ornament at the point where fire is handled is the logic of the building in miniature.
How it sits above the path
Because Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall faces west, its front comes into view obliquely as you climb. Stop partway up the steps and take in the hall together with the Bell Tower attached to its north side; seen at once, the two read as a single designed unit.
The walkway on the south leads to the Main Hall. The two are separate buildings, but a priest can pass between them without stepping into the rain. The way the precinct's buildings link hands becomes clear at this short covered passage.
At 67 square metres the hall is about a sixth the size of the Main Hall. From the path it looks larger than that, because it rests on a raised stone base.
Seeing Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall
The hall is part of the 40-minute guided route. It is not included in the 30-minute route, so ask for the longer visit when booking if you want to see the Fudo figure and the fire altar.
The exterior is visible from the path at any hour. Since the front faces west, the afternoon gives better light on it.
The temple website states no rule on photography indoors; ask the priest during the visit. Directions and reception hours are on the Chokokuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall built?
- No document gives the year. Sado City estimates the late nineteenth century because the hall is absent from a precinct drawing of 1800, while the national database assigns it to the early Meiji period.
- What is enshrined in Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall?
- A standing wooden figure of Fudo Myoo, 98.5 centimetres tall, carved from a single block of cypress and attributed to the late Heian period.
- Can visitors enter Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall?
- Yes, on the 40-minute guided route. The 30-minute route does not include it, so state your preference when booking.
- Is Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall connected to the Main Hall?
- A covered walkway on its south side crosses to the Main Hall, so the two separate buildings are linked under a roof.
- How big is Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall?
- 7.4 metres along the ridge by 7.1 metres, a floor area of 67 square metres, single-storeyed in timber.
Basic Information
| Name | Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall |
|---|---|
| Location | 13 Hase Toyo, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered in 2008 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 7.4 metres along the ridge, 7.1 metres deep, floor area 67 square metres |
| Owner | Chokokuji Temple, a religious corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable at any time; interior opened on the booked guided visit |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Chokokuji Temple Goma Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006814
- Sado City: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, Chokokuji Temple
- https://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/site/bunkazai/4964.html
- Chokokuji Temple: Highlights of the Precinct
- https://sado-choukokuji.jp/midokoro/
- Chokokuji Temple: Visitor Information
- https://sado-choukokuji.jp/guidance/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
