Chomeiji Temple Main Hall: Raised in 1524
The Chomeiji Temple Main Hall (長命寺本堂, Chōmei-ji Hondō) is a late Muromachi-period Buddhist hall at Chomeiji Temple in Chomeiji-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1904.
When fighting burned the temple in 1516, this was the first building to rise again. The Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia notes that temple documents fix its ridge-raising to 1524, which makes the Chomeiji Main Hall the oldest of the six designated buildings on the site.
It measures 7 bays across the front and 6 deep, under a large hip-and-gable (Irimoya-zukuri) roof of cypress bark (Hiwadabuki). The shrine cabinet (Zushi) that houses the principal image is designated with the hall as an attached item (Tsuketari).
Why the Main Hall Matters
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the hall as late Muromachi, dated 1524. A large late-medieval hall whose construction year is anchored in the temple's own papers is a valuable reference point for dating other buildings of the period.
The encyclopedia also shows how much of the first design can still be read. The front openings were originally top-hinged lattice shutters (Shitomido) and were replaced with panelled doors (Sankarado) in the early modern period. Inside, the partition between the inner sanctuary (Naijin) and the worship space (Gejin) now juts forward at its centre, but it once ran in a single straight line, as was usual in Tendai temples.
For all its later changes, the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall still preserves the bones of an older Tendai plan. It was also raised just eight years after the fire, the starting point of the recovery the Agency credits to the whole precinct.
The hall was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1904, the earliest designation at Chomeiji Temple.
What to Look For
At the top of the 808 steps, the cypress-bark roof of the Chomeiji Main Hall spreads across your view. At the eaves the bark shows in cross-section as countless thin layers, worth a close look.
According to the Japan Heritage portal, the cabinet on the central dais (Shumidan) holds the principal image: three Kannon figures, the Thousand-Armed, Sho and Eleven-Headed, worshipped as one. They are hidden images, so what visitors face is the cabinet itself, a designated piece in its own right.
A covered corridor runs west from the hall to the Sanbutsudo and on to the Gohogongensha worship hall, while the goma hall and pagoda stand to the east. On the slope behind, to the north, lies the Rokusho Gongen Yogo-seki, a pair of boulders where the legendary Takenouchi no Sukune is said to have prayed.
Visiting the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall
The hall remains the centre of worship at Chomeiji, and visitors may pray at the worship area inside between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. There is no admission fee.
The principal image is not normally on view, and showings are irregular, so ask the temple (0748-33-0031) about dates. No official guidance on photography inside could be found; follow the notices on site.
For the best view of the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall, take in the facade from the head of the steps, then walk round to the east side to appreciate its 6-bay depth. Directions to the precinct are on the Chomeiji Temple page.
Q&A
- When was the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall built?
- Its ridge was raised in 1524, late in the Muromachi period. It was the first building reconstructed after the fire of 1516.
- When did the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall become an Important Cultural Property?
- On 18 February 1904. Its shrine cabinet is designated with it as an attached item.
- Can I see the principal image in the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall?
- Usually not. The three Kannon figures are hidden images shown only at irregular intervals. Visitors normally pray facing the closed cabinet.
- What are the opening hours and fees for the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall?
- The Saigoku pilgrimage association lists 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Entry is free.
- What architectural details of the Chomeiji Temple Main Hall are worth noticing?
- The panelled front doors replaced original lattice shutters, and the inner partition was reshaped in the early modern period. Picturing the straight partition and shutters helps reveal the older Tendai layout.
Basic Information
| Name | Chomeiji Temple Main Hall (長命寺本堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | Chomeiji-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | 18 February 1904 (Meiji 37) |
| Quantity | 1 building (with 1 shrine cabinet) |
| Dimensions | 7 bays by 6 bays, single storey, hip-and-gable roof, cypress bark |
| Owner | Chomeiji Temple |
| Public Access | Open for worship 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., free; principal image hidden |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Chomeiji Main Hall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1404
- National Diet Library Collaborative Reference Database, quoting the Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia (Japanese)
- https://crd.ndl.go.jp/reference/detail?page=ref_view&id=1000102778
- Japan Heritage Portal: Chomeiji Main Hall (Japanese)
- https://japan-heritage.bunka.go.jp/ja/culturalproperties/result/4356/
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Chomeiji Sanbutsudo (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/00005359
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Association: Temple No. 31 Chomeiji (Japanese)
- https://saikoku33.gr.jp/place/31
Last verified: 2026.10.04
