A Meiji Assembly Hall That Moved with Its School
Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall (金光学園中学高等学校記念講堂, Konkō Gakuen Chūgaku Kōtō Gakkō Kinen Kōdō) is a timber assembly hall built in 1904 and now standing on the Konko Gakuen campus in Utsumishinden, Konko-cho, Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture; it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2014. It was first built on the grounds of the former Konko Middle School, within what is now the headquarters precinct of the Konkokyo religion, and was moved to its present site in 1956.
The hall stands along the south edge of the campus. It is a single-storey timber building with a hipped (Yosemune-zukuri) roof of Sangawara-buki tiles, measuring about 12.7 meters north to south and 20.0 meters east to west, with a building area of about 238 square meters. It remains a working school building: according to the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education, it is used for meetings, training sessions and club practice.
Why It Was Registered
The Konko Gakuen Memorial Hall was registered on October 7, 2014, as registration no. 33-0266, under the criterion of serving as a model of design.
What the registration rewards is the way the hall blends Japanese and Western design in a single building without strain. Okayama Prefecture describes a mix of features drawn from Japanese temple and shrine architecture with Western elements, and calls the hall valuable for understanding the styles and building techniques of Meiji-era schools. The Agency for Cultural Affairs likewise sums it up as a Meiji school building that harmonizes the two traditions.
Built in 1904 and moved half a century later in 1956, the hall is still part of daily school life. The relocation did not strip it of the features the Agency singles out: the semicircular dormers, the cloud-shaped brackets and the layered coffered ceiling are all still in place.
What to Look For
Start with the roof. Semicircular dormer windows break through the big hipped roof, a Western idea set into Japanese tiling.
The walls change finish from bottom to top. The main walls are clad in overlapping horizontal boards (Shitami-itabari), the lower band is boarded vertically, and the narrow strip of wall above the windows is finished in white Shikkui plaster. Under the eaves runs a row of Mochiokuri brackets carved into cloud shapes, structural pieces turned into ornament in the manner of temple and shrine eaves.
Inside the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall, the ceiling takes over. It is a Gō-tenjō coffered ceiling raised in two coved steps, and the center, where the light fitting hangs, is raised in a further three steps. Look up from the middle of the floor and the ceiling seems to climb toward a single point. At the tops of the posts, curved braces soften the junction between post and beam.
Visiting
The hall is owned by Konko Gakuen Educational Corporation and is part of an active school, not a public facility. Okayama Prefecture's notes ask anyone who wishes to see it to contact Konko Gakuen (tel. 0865-42-3131). Visits have to fit around classes and school events, so the date and time are arranged with the school. Please ask about photography when you make the request.
The campus is about an 8-minute walk from JR Konko Station on the Sanyo Line. By car, it is roughly 5 kilometers east of the Kamogata interchange on the Sanyo Expressway. Students live and study here, so please do not enter the grounds without permission.
Q&A
- Can visitors see the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall?
- It is not open on a regular basis. Okayama Prefecture's notes ask those who wish to visit to contact Konko Gakuen in advance (tel. 0865-42-3131).
- When was the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall built?
- It was built in 1904 on the grounds of the former Konko Middle School and moved to the present campus in 1956.
- How do I get to the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall from Konko Station?
- It is about an 8-minute walk from JR Konko Station. By car, it is about 5 kilometers east of the Kamogata interchange on the Sanyo Expressway.
- Why is the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall a Registered Tangible Cultural Property?
- It was registered in 2014 as a model of design. The hall combines elements of Japanese temple and shrine architecture with Western design and is valued as evidence of Meiji-era school building styles and techniques.
- What is special about the ceiling of the Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall?
- It is a coffered ceiling raised in two coved steps, with the center around the light fitting raised in three further steps. Curved braces sit at the tops of the posts.
Basic Information
| Name | Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall (金光学園中学高等学校記念講堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1350-6 Utsumishinden, Konko-cho, Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | 2014 (registered) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 238 m²; about 12.7 m north-south and 20.0 m east-west |
| Owner | Konko Gakuen Educational Corporation |
| Public Access | Not regularly open (contact Konko Gakuen to arrange a visit) |
References
- Database of Cultural Properties: Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00010235
- Cultural Heritage Online: Konko Gakuen Junior and Senior High School Memorial Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/232848
- Konko Gakuen Memorial Hall leaflet (Okayama Prefecture, Japanese PDF)
- https://www.pref.okayama.jp/uploaded/attachment/261019.pdf
- Registered Cultural Properties in Okayama Prefecture (Okayama Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.okayama.jp/page/detail-50777.html
- Registration of the Konkokyo Doctrinal Research Institute Buildings (Asakuchi City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.asakuchi.lg.jp/page/1990.html
Last verified: 2026.10.03