A Formal Entrance between Two Halls
The Honjoji Temple Main Entrance (本成寺表玄関) is a formal entrance hall with a cusped gable of around 1895 in Nishihonjoji, Sanjo City, Niigata 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-metal roof and a building area of 114 square metres, altered in the early Showa era and in 2011; registration number 15-0558.
An Entrance Linking Two Halls
The Honjoji Temple Main Entrance is a north–south wing with a pantiled roof linking the guest hall and the priests' quarters, with three gable pendants on the cusped gable over its entrance at the centre of the east side (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Inside, a small meeting room lies north of the 10-mat entrance room, and the reception room to the south is a Western-style room refitted in the early Showa era; a corridor on the west links the guest hall and the priests' quarters (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that its dignified formal entrance gives focus to the temple grounds, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the cusped gable with three pendants and the early Showa Western-style reception room (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Honjoji Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the Niigata Prefecture tourism site, the grounds are free and open every day, with a fee for the treasure hall; it is about 15 minutes on foot from JR Sanjo Station. The five buildings are covered together on the Honjoji Temple group page.
Q&A
- When was the Main Entrance built?
- Around 1895, with alterations in the early Showa era and in 2011 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is it?
- Between the guest hall and the priests' quarters.
- How is the entrance decorated?
- With three pendants on its cusped gable.
- Is there a Western-style room?
- Yes, the reception room, refitted in the early Showa era.
- When was the Honjoji Temple Main Entrance registered?
- On October 14, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Honjoji Temple Main Entrance (本成寺表玄関) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3861 Nishihonjoji 1-chome, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/10/14 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, single storey, sheet-metal roof, 114 m² |
| Owner | Honjoji Temple |
| Public Access | Grounds open freely; 15 min walk from JR Sanjo Station |
References
- Honjoji Temple Main Entrance (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013977
- Honjoji (Niigata tourism site, Japanese)
- https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/5728
Last verified: 2026.10.19
