A thatched gable turned to the front
Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters is the kitchen and residence block of a temple in Hase, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, built in the late eighteenth century and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2008. In Japanese a block of this kind is called a Kuri.
It stands east of the Main Hall and faces south: 19 metres along the ridge, 14 metres deep, 366 square metres of floor area, two storeys of timber under a hip-and-gable thatched roof entered from the gable end, now sheeted in metal.
The Main Hall's entrance porch attaches to the southern part of its west face, and a two-storey inner parlour continues to the north. Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters is a separate building that shares a single circulation route with the hall beside it. The national database dates it broadly to 1751 to 1829; Sado City places it in the late eighteenth century, contemporary with the Main Hall. It was repaired in 1978.
Kitchen, office and home in one block
A kuri is where a temple cooks, receives visitors and sleeps. Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters was listed for its contribution to the historic landscape rather than as a model of design, which places the value in the role it plays within the precinct.
Three bays of depth along the south side are earth-floored. Beyond that the floor rises and the living rooms begin. The arrangement is the same one used in the larger farmhouses of Sado; what differs is the scale and the hall attached next door.
The frame carries the argument. Sado City notes the heavy timbers and the height to the ridge, and the national database credits the thick frame with the building's dignified exterior. A deep thatched roof needs a structure that can hold it, and the outward character of Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters follows from that requirement.
A triangle rising at the entrance
What registers first is the gable turned south. Because the roof is entered from its gable end, the triangle of the roof stands up directly above the entrance, whereas the Main Hall alongside reads as a long horizontal. Seen together, the two buildings make the difference between the two roof types obvious.
Step closer and look up under the eaves to judge the depth of the beams. The walls rise a full second storey, which puts the ridge among the highest in the precinct.
From the forecourt the plan becomes legible: the Temple Office and three earthen-walled storehouses enclose the open ground, with Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters at the centre of the group.
Seeing Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters
The exterior can be seen at any time from the forecourt in front of the Main Hall. To take in the whole gable, move back to the southern edge of that forecourt.
The interior is the priests' home and is not part of the guided routes. Reception for visits and bookings for the treasure rooms is handled here, so visitors do reach the entrance porch.
Directions and opening hours are on the Chokokuji Temple page.
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Q&A
- When was Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters built?
- The national database gives a range of 1751 to 1829. Sado City narrows it to the late eighteenth century, the same period as the Main Hall.
- Can I go inside Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters?
- No. It is the priests' residence and is not included in the guided routes, though the exterior is visible from the forecourt at any time.
- Is Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters connected to the Main Hall?
- The Main Hall's entrance porch joins the south part of its west face, and a two-storey inner parlour runs north. They are separate buildings sharing one route through.
- What kind of roof does Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters have?
- A hip-and-gable thatched roof entered from the gable end, so the triangle faces south. The thatch is currently protected by metal sheeting.
- How large is Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters?
- Two storeys, 19 metres along the ridge by 14 metres deep, with a floor area of 366 square metres.
Basic Information
| Name | Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters |
|---|---|
| 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 | 19 metres along the ridge, 14 metres deep, floor area 366 square metres |
| Owner | Chokokuji Temple, a religious corporation |
| Public Access | Exterior only; the interior is not open |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, National Cultural Properties Database: Chokokuji Temple Priests' Quarters
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00006813
- Sado City: Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, Chokokuji Temple
- https://www.city.sado.niigata.jp/site/bunkazai/4964.html
- Chokokuji Temple: Visitor Information
- https://sado-choukokuji.jp/guidance/
Last verified: 2026.09.14
