At Menuma Shodenzan: Akaido Hall
The Kangiin Akaido Hall (歓喜院閼伽井堂) is a well hall of the late Edo period, between 1751 and 1830 at Menuma Shodenzan Kangiin Temple in Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2 May 2017.
The Kangiin Akaido Hall stands south of the Niomon gate, facing east. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as a single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 15 square meters.
It has an Irimoya-zukuri hipped-and-gabled copper roof. Inside, a 3-meter-square earth-floored space around a well sits beside a single room enshrining Suitengu. An akai is a well that supplies water offered to the Buddhas.
Why It Was Registered
The Kangiin Akaido Hall carries registration number 11-0162 and was registered on the same day as the other eight structures in the precinct, under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes it as small but finely appointed: a practical shelter over a well, yet carved with real care.
What to Look For
An Open Well Enclosure
The well is enclosed only by a wooden lattice fence, so its place is easy to read from outside. The adjoining room enshrines Suitengu.
Carved Beams and Brackets
The tie beams, beam ends and coved panels carry fine carving. It is a building of 15 square meters, but up close the workmanship shows.
Visiting
The Kangiin Akaido Hall stands in the precinct south of the Niomon gate and can be seen from outside; the precinct is always open and free. The well area is fenced, so do not step inside.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kangiin Akaido Hall
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- Can you visit the Kangiin Akaido Hall?
- The Kangiin Akaido Hall stands in the precinct south of the Niomon gate and can be seen from outside; the precinct is always open and free. The well area is fenced, so do not step inside.
- When was the Kangiin Akaido Hall built and registered?
- A well hall of the late Edo period, between 1751 and 1830, registered on 2 May 2017 as number 11-0162.
- How is the Kangiin Akaido Hall built?
- Single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 15 square meters.
- What is enshrined in the Kangiin Akaido Hall?
- Suitengu, in the room beside the well.
- What is an akai well?
- A well from which water offered to the Buddhas is drawn. The Kangiin Akaido Hall shelters such a well.
Basic Information
| Name | Kangiin Akaido Hall (歓喜院閼伽井堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1511 Menuma, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber structure, copper roof, building area 15 square meters |
| Owner | Kangiin (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Precinct always open and free (exterior viewing) |
References
- National Cultural Properties Database, Kangiin Akaido Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011451
- Cultural Heritage Online, Kangiin Akaido Hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/300429
- Tourism Resources of Kumagaya (Saitama Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/soshiki/b0110/hokubutiikinogaiyou/gunmadc-kankousozai-kumagaya.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
