Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall: One Wall, 2 Heights and 2 Copings
The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall (寶福寺方丈土塀, Hōfukuji Hōjō Dobei) is a late-Edo-period white-plastered earthen wall enclosing the forecourt of the abbot's quarters and the front of the Zen meditation hall at Hōfukuji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on April 28, 2009.
The wall encloses the western part of the forecourt's south side and its west side, then continues west in front of the meditation hall, 65 m in total. Its base is built up like a stone retaining wall to absorb the changes in ground level, and the clay wall above is finished in white Shikkui plaster. It dates from the late Edo period (1830-1867) and was repaired in the early Showa era.
Hofukuji's buildings were registered in 2 rounds: 6 structures, including the abbot's quarters and priests' quarters, on January 8, 2009, and 18 more, including the Buddha Hall and Main Gate, on April 28, for 24 in all. The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall belongs to the second round, as registration number 33-0216.
Why It Was Registered
The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the wall changes its specification along its length. The stretch in front of the abbot's quarters is 1.4 m high and roofed with Sangawara-buki pantiles. The stretches in front of the meditation hall and along the west side are 1.5 m high and capped with fusuma-gawara coping tiles laid in a teri-mukuri line, a curve that combines a concave sweep with a convex swell. It is one continuous wall, yet its height and finish shift according to the building it faces.
The stone-like base takes up the difference in level between the forecourt and the surrounding ground. Stone below, white plaster in the middle and tile on top, the wall ties the front of the abbot's quarters and the meditation hall into a single enclosure and draws the outline of the inner precinct of the monastery.
What to Look For
Walk the length of the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall. Where it passes from the abbot's quarters to the meditation hall, the wall rises slightly and the coping changes, from pantiles to coping tiles laid in a teri-mukuri curve. Finding that transition is the most rewarding detail here.
Look down at the base as well. The stone-like base takes up the uneven ground, so following the seam between stone and plaster reveals the lie of the land around the forecourt.
The white face of the wall also forms the backdrop of the forecourt. Compared with the earthen wall of the Founder's Hall, left in a clay-colored middle coat, this wall is finished in white plaster, a reminder that wall finishes differ from one precinct of the temple to another.
Visiting
The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall is outdoors and can be seen from outside during temple hours, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. No admission fee is charged for the grounds.
Walk north from the Buddha Hall to reach the forecourt of the abbot's quarters. The wall runs from the western part of the forecourt's south side along its west side and on past the meditation hall. Plaster is easily damaged, so please do not touch the wall.
JR Soja Station is about half an hour away on foot; by car, the Okayama Soja interchange is roughly a quarter of an hour away, with parking for 75 cars. No photography rules are posted, but be considerate during services.
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- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall
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Q&A
- When was the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall built?
- In the late Edo period (1830-1867), with repairs in the early Showa era.
- When was the Hofukuji Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall registered?
- On April 28, 2009, as one of 18 structures registered that day. With the 6 registered on January 8, Hofukuji has 24 registered structures.
- How long and high is the Hofukuji Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall?
- It is 65 m long in total, 1.4 m high in front of the abbot's quarters and 1.5 m high in front of the meditation hall and along the west side.
- What is distinctive about the Hofukuji Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall?
- A white-plastered wall on a stone-like base, it is pantiled in front of the abbot's quarters and capped with curved coping tiles elsewhere.
- Can I see the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall?
- Yes, from outside and free of charge during temple hours, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Basic Information
| Name | Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters Earthen Wall |
|---|---|
| Location | 1968-1 Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | 2009 (Heisei 21), registered |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Earthen wall, tiled, length 65 m |
| Owner | Hofukuji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Outdoors, open to view (no admission fee) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Hofukuji Hojo Earthen Wall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007677
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Hofukuji Hojo
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007587
- Soja City: Hofukuji Registered Buildings (24 structures)
- https://www.city.soja.okayama.jp/soshiki/26/2960.html
- Okayama Kanko Web: Hofukuji
- https://www.okayama-kanko.jp/spot/detail_10821.html
Last verified: 2026.09.10