Registered Tangible Cultural Properties · Okayama

Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters

Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters: A Large Hojo with Tiered Gable Beams

The late-Edo abbot's quarters of Hofukuji in Soja, Okayama: the largest building on the grounds at 486 square meters, with 4 tiers of beams in its gables.

Designation Registered Tangible Cultural Properties

Location Okayama

Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters: A Large Hojo with 4 Tiers of Beams in the Gable

The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters (寶福寺方丈, Hōfukuji Hōjō) is a late-Edo-period abbot's hall facing south in the northern part of Hōfukuji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on January 8, 2009.

In a Zen temple the hojo is the residence of the head priest and also the setting for ceremonies and the reception of guests. The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters measures 24 m by 18 m, with a building area of 486 square meters, the largest of the temple's 24 registered structures. A great hip-and-gable roof in the Irimoya-zukuri form, laid with Hongawarabuki tiles, covers it, and a latrine building (tosu) is attached at the rear. It was built in the late Edo period (1830-1867) and repaired in the mid-Showa era.

The plan follows the 6-room layout standard for Zen abbots' halls, with wide verandas along the front and sides. Additional rooms, including a rear hojo and a tea master's room, are attached, so the building accommodates both the head priest's daily life and the temple's formal rites. Its registration number, 33-0204, is the first of the numbers issued for Hofukuji.

Why It Was Registered

The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters was registered as a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as a fine example of a large-scale abbot's hall in a regional temple.

Besides its size, the gables stand out. Within each triangular gable end, beams are stacked in 4 tiers, supported by bracket sets of the demitsudo type and similar. The structure that carries the huge roof is put on display as ornament, and it is this detail that makes the scale of the hall legible from outside.

The 6-room plan arranges 3 rooms along the front and 3 behind. Hofukuji enlarged this basic scheme with verandas and extra rooms, a reflection of its standing as a regional center of the Tofukuji branch of Rinzai Zen.

What to Look For

Begin by taking in the whole south front of the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters across its forecourt. The long eaves and veranda run 24 m, with the great hip-and-gable roof above. Along the western part of the south side and the west side of the forecourt runs the white-plastered earthen wall of the abbot's quarters, framing the approach.

Then walk to the east or west gable. Inside the triangle, bracket sets and beams rise in 4 stepped tiers; counting them from the bottom up shows how the weight of the roof is taken down in stages.

The Entrance Hall and Dining Hall adjoins to the east, with the priests' quarters beyond; the Zen meditation hall lies to the northwest, and the shoin study hall connects to the rear by a covered corridor. The abbot's quarters sits at the hub of these buildings, and walking around it shows how the living spaces of a Zen monastery fitted together.

Visiting

The Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters stands in the northern part of the grounds, and its exterior can be seen. The prefectural and city tourism pages do not list a regular opening of the interior.

From the Main Gate, pass the Buddha Hall and continue north; the great roof appears beyond the forecourt and its wall. Follow any signs on site about where visitors may walk in the forecourt.

No photography rules are posted, but the hall is also used for ceremonies and receiving guests, so put the camera away during services. The four tiers of beams in the gable are easiest to count from the east side of the forecourt, looking up at an angle.

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Q&A

QWhen was the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters built?: AIn the late Edo period (1830-1867), with repairs in the mid-Showa era.

QWhen was the Hofukuji Abbot's Quarters registered?: AOn January 8, 2009, as registration number 33-0204, the first of Hofukuji's registered structures.

QHow big is the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters?: AIt measures 24 m by 18 m, with a building area of 486 square meters, the largest of the temple's registered buildings.

QWhat should I look for on the Hofukuji Abbot's Quarters?: AThe gable ends, where beams are stacked in 4 tiers on bracket sets, and the wide verandas along the front and sides.

QCan visitors enter the Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters?: ANo regular interior opening is listed on the prefectural and city tourism pages. Visitors see the south-facing exterior from the forecourt side.

Basic Information

Name	Hofukuji Temple Abbot's Quarters
Location	1968-1 Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Designation	Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building)
Year Designated	2009 (Heisei 21), registered
Quantity	1 building
Dimensions	Single-story timber building, tiled roof, building area 486 square meters, 24 m by 18 m
Owner	Hofukuji (religious corporation)
Public Access	Exterior only