Registered Tangible Cultural Properties · Okayama

Hofukuji Temple Middle Well

Hofukuji Temple Middle Well: A Roofed Well Beside the Monks' Refectory

A late-Edo roofed well against the dining hall veranda of Hofukuji in Soja, Okayama, with a granite curb and a bucket hung from the beam. Registered in 2009.

Designation Registered Tangible Cultural Properties

Location Okayama

Hofukuji Temple Middle Well: A Well Beside the Refectory with a Bucket on the Beam

The Hofukuji Temple Middle Well (寶福寺中井戸, Hōfukuji Naka Ido) is a late-Edo-period roofed well set against the north veranda of the dining hall at Hōfukuji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan on January 8, 2009.

The curb is a square frame of granite blocks 17 cm thick, 1.1 m on each side and 0.42 m high. A shelter 1.7 m by 1.1 m stands over it, with a gabled roof in the Kirizuma-zukuri form covered in Sangawara-buki pantiles. Square posts at the 4 corners are tied together with horizontal members, and a well bucket hangs from the beam. The registered area is 1.2 square meters, the smallest among Hofukuji's registered structures with a recorded area.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as the well used by the dining hall and neighboring buildings. The dining hall, or jikido, is where the monks take their meals; it lies at the back of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall east of the abbot's quarters. Its registration number is 33-0208.

Why It Was Registered

The Hofukuji Temple Middle Well was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape. It is dated to the late Edo period (1751-1829).

What sets it apart is how close it sits to the building it served. It adjoins the dining hall's north veranda, so the well lies right beside the edge of the building. The bucket hanging from the beam means that the equipment for drawing water is part of the same small structure. Building and water source laid out as one piece show how indispensable the well was to the monks' life around the dining hall.

Hofukuji has 3 registered wells, each serving a different building: the Senjakusei well, used for ceremonies at the Buddha Hall; the Tenzo well, attached to the kitchen of the priests' quarters; and the Middle Well beside the dining hall.

What to Look For

At the Hofukuji Temple Middle Well, look first at the bucket hanging from the beam. Corner posts tied by horizontal members carry the beam, and the beam carries the bucket; the shelter is also the frame of the tool for drawing water.

Then study the curb. At 17 cm, its granite blocks are the thickest of the 3 wells, while its 1.1 m mouth is the smallest, a compact, solid wellhead of heavy stone.

Finally, note where the shelter meets the veranda of the dining hall. No other well on the grounds meets a building this way, and it is visible if you walk round to the north side of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall.

Visiting

The Hofukuji Temple Middle Well is on the north side of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall and can be seen from outside.

The dining hall lies at the back of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall, east of the abbot's quarters, and the well adjoins its north veranda. This is close to the temple's living quarters, so please view it from the path without touching the bucket or curb.

No photography restrictions are posted in the published guides. Seen from the north together with the building, the well and the veranda beside it make clear how the dining hall drew its water.

📍 Plan Your Visit to Okayama: Find tours, activities & transport passes near Hofukuji Temple Middle Well; [ Kurashiki Bikan District & Korakuen Garden Tours ]

Q&A

QWhen was the Hofukuji Temple Middle Well made?: AIn the late Edo period (1751-1829). It was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property on January 8, 2009.

QWhere is the Hofukuji Middle Well?: AAgainst the north veranda of the dining hall, at the back of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall east of the abbot's quarters.

QHow large is the Hofukuji Temple Middle Well?: AThe curb is 1.1 m square and 0.42 m high; the shelter measures 1.7 m by 1.1 m.

QWhat should I look for at the Hofukuji Middle Well?: AThe bucket hanging from the beam of the pantiled shelter and the 17 cm thick granite curb.

QWhere is the Hofukuji Temple Middle Well?: AOn the north side of the Entrance Hall and Dining Hall, set against the dining hall veranda. It can be seen from outside.

Basic Information

Name	Hofukuji Temple Middle Well
Location	1968-1 Ijirino, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Designation	Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building)
Year Designated	2009 (Heisei 21), registered
Quantity	1 structure
Dimensions	Stone, area 1.2 square meters, with roofed shelter
Owner	Hofukuji (religious corporation)
Public Access	Outdoors, open to view