A Small Edo-Period Hall with Old Carvings
The Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall (金剛寺大日堂, Kongō-ji Dainichi-dō) is a small Buddhist hall of the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1751) east of the main hall of Kongoji at Nakayama, Kawajima Town, Hiki District, Saitama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on February 26, 2021 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey wooden hall with a copper roof and a building area of 16 square metres, repaired in 1926 and 1980, registration number 11-202, owned by Kongoji.
Why It Was Registered
The Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a hall whose outer panels are decorated with old-style frog-leg struts and carvings and which keeps wall and ceiling paintings inside.
The Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association describes it as the hall for the Hiki family's memorial tablets, with a dragon on the ceiling said to be in the manner of the Kano school.
What to Look For
The hall faces south, east of the main hall. It is 1 bay wide at the front and 2 bays deep, under a pyramidal copper roof. Square posts are tied with Nageshi at sill and lintel level, the posts carry simple Funahijiki bracket arms, and the eaves have two layers of closely spaced rafters (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Inside, round posts mark the line between the inner and outer sanctuaries, with Demitsudo bracket sets (Agency for Cultural Affairs). On the outside, the frog-leg struts and carvings in the small wall panels are in an old style and repay a close look.
Visiting
The Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall is a temple building, and no interior opening has been announced. Please be considerate of the temple and worshippers when viewing it.
The temple's history and location are on the group page Kongoji Temple (Kawajima).
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Saitama
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall
- [ Kawagoe Little Edo & Moominvalley Park ]
Q&A
- When was the Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall built?
- In the mid-Edo period (1661 to 1751), with repairs in 1926 and 1980 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of building is the Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall?
- A small hall, 1 bay wide and 2 deep, with a pyramidal copper roof (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is inside the Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall?
- Wall and ceiling paintings (Agency for Cultural Affairs); the tourism association mentions a dragon said to be in the Kano style.
- What is the Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall used for?
- The Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association describes it as the memorial-tablet hall of the Hiki family.
- When was the Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall registered?
- On February 26, 2021, the same day as the Kongoji Temple Gate.
Basic Information
| Name | Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall (金剛寺大日堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1198 Nakaguruwa, Nakayama, Kawajima Town, Hiki District, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2021/02/26 (Reiwa 3) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Wooden, single storey, copper roof, building area 16 square metres |
| Owner | Kongoji |
| Public Access | Temple hall (no interior opening announced) |
References
- Kongoji Temple Dainichi Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013690
- Seigetsuzan Kongoji (Higashimatsuyama Tourism Association, Japanese)
- https://higashimatsuyama-kanko.com/kongouji/
Last verified: 2026.10.14
