A Meditation Hall and a Guest Lodge Under One Roof
Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters (洞松寺禅堂及び接賓, Tōshō-ji Zendō oyobi Seppin) is a single building combining a meditation hall and lodgings for visiting monks at Toshoji, a Soto Zen monastery in Yakage, Okayama Prefecture, built in 1838 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011. It stands east of the main hall, linked to it by the Bell Tower, and runs north to south: 27 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a building area of 251 square meters, under a hip-and-gable Irimoya-zukuri roof of heavy Hongawarabuki tile.
Split Down the Middle by a Passage
A through-passage at the center divides the building. The northern half is the zendō, the meditation hall, fitted inside with tan, the individual places assigned to each monk. In a Soto training hall the tan is where a monk sits in zazen, eats and, at night, sleeps; nearly the whole of monastic life fits into a space about the size of one tatami mat.
The southern half is the seppin, where monks visiting from other temples are put up. Placing the training hall and the guest lodging under one roof and separating them with a passage packs two functions into a compact footprint.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs values Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters as a record of how Soto temples laid out their meditation halls in the late Edo period. Its position facing the Priests' Quarters across the courtyard keeps the classic Zen arrangement intact.
What to Look For
The 27-meter block closes off the east side of the courtyard like a wall, to your left as you enter through the Sanmon, and at its south end it meets the main hall through the Bell Tower. Its long tiled roof is one of the longest in the precinct.
Zazen has continued in this precinct for more than 180 years since the hall went up in 1838, and since 2014 a Soto training hall for practitioners of non-Japanese nationality has operated here, so the monks you see may come from anywhere. Look for the central passage from outside; it marks the point where the building switches from meditation hall to guest lodge.
Visiting the Zen Hall
The Zen Hall is the center of monastic training and is not open for visitors to wander in. During sitting periods, keep voices and footsteps down near the building. Photograph only the exterior and avoid shooting through windows or doors. If you would like to join zazen, contact Toshoji in advance to ask if a place can be found for you.
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Q&A
- What is Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters?
- It is a single building that houses the monastery's meditation hall in its northern half and lodgings for visiting monks in its southern half, divided by a central passage. It was built in 1838 and listed as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on July 25, 2011.
- Can visitors enter Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters?
- Not freely, since it is an active training hall. If you would like to join zazen, contact Toshoji in advance. The exterior can be seen from the courtyard.
- What is a tan in Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters?
- A tan is the individual place assigned to each monk in the meditation hall. In Soto training halls, monks sit zazen, eat and sleep on their tan.
- How big is Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters?
- It is 27 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a building area of 251 square meters, under a tiled hip-and-gable roof.
- Where is Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters in the precinct?
- East of the main hall, linked to it by the Bell Tower, and facing the Priests' Quarters across the courtyard.
Basic Information
| Name | Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters (洞松寺禅堂及び接賓) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3796 Funakidani, Yokotani, Yakage-cho, Oda District, Okayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/7/25 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | 27 meters by 10 meters; building area 251 square meters |
| Owner | Toshoji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior visible from the precinct; interior closed (contact the temple in advance to join zazen) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008765
- Cultural Heritage Online: Toshoji Temple Zen Hall and Guest Monks' Quarters
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/224716
- Yakage Board of Education, Cultural Properties of Yakage: National and registered properties (Toshoji)
- https://bunkazai.yakage-kyouiku.info/shiteibunkazai/nicp
- Daihonzan Sojiji: Zen in One, Toshoji venue
- https://www.sojiji.jp/zen-in-one/toshoji/
Last verified: 2026.09.24
