What the Zendō Is
East of the Anzaisho, below a bluff and facing south, stands the meditation hall, or Zendō, of Hōkō-ji. The Zendō is where monks sit in zazen and devote themselves to training, one of the core buildings of a Rinzai Zen temple. It is a single-story timber building with a tiled roof and a floor area of 105 square metres, gable-entry beneath a hip-and-gable roof of pantiles.
It was built in 1933. The entrances at the centre of the front and back are double-leaf panelled doors, and flame-shaped windows open at either side of the front. Inside is a single room with an earthen floor laid in a diagonal pattern; an image of Bodhidharma is enshrined along the ridge line, raised platforms of tatami run along both sides, and a slatted ceiling is fitted.
A Place of Zazen and Training
Since its founding in 1371, Hōkō-ji has been a Zen training ground where many monks pursued their practice. The Zendō, as the place where that seated meditation is actually carried out, is an indispensable adjunct in the makeup of a Rinzai temple. To this day Hōkō-ji is known as a temple for zazen experiences.
Value as a Building That Makes Up a Rinzai Temple
The Zendō was registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) on 10 September 2019, registration number 22-267. Its listing cites the criterion of being a model of design.
Behind that recognition lies the way it precisely provides the function and form a meditation hall requires as a component of a Rinzai temple. The Bodhidharma image along the ridge, the tatami platforms on both sides, and the diagonally laid earthen floor show the typical interior arrangement of a Zendō.
Zen-style features such as the flame-shaped windows on either side of the front and the double-leaf panelled doors express the hall’s character on the exterior as well. Practical use as a place of training and the forms of Zen architecture coexist here.
Reading the Zendō Inside and Out
At the centre of the Zendō an image of Bodhidharma is enshrined. Bodhidharma is regarded as the first patriarch of Zen, and placing his image along the ridge of the meditation hall carries the sense of keeping the origin of practice in view. The raised platforms on either side are where monks sat in meditation and slept.
Outside, look to the flame-shaped windows at either side of the front. With their upper part formed in a flame shape, these windows are a signature of the Zen style and quietly announce the building’s character. Together with the diagonal earthen floor and slatted ceiling, they let you trace the match of function and form.
The Zendō is a building tied directly to the practice of zazen. If the Main Hall and the Hansōbō Shinden are symbols of faith, the Zendō is where daily training takes place. When you sit zazen at Hōkō-ji, it is worth recalling the history of such a hall.
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Q&A
- What kind of building is the Zendō?
- It is a hall where monks sit in zazen and devote themselves to training, one of the core buildings of a Rinzai temple. The Zendō stands east of the Anzaisho, below a bluff, facing south.
- When was it built?
- It was built in 1933. It became a national Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 10 September 2019, registration number 22-267.
- What is the interior like?
- A single room with a diagonally laid earthen floor, an image of Bodhidharma along the ridge line, and raised tatami platforms on both sides, beneath a slatted ceiling.
- What are the exterior highlights?
- The flame-shaped windows at either side of the front and the double-leaf panelled doors at the centre of the front and back. The flame-shaped windows are a signature Zen-style feature that expresses the hall’s character.
Basic Information
| Name | Hōkō-ji Zendō (Meditation Hall) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1577-1 Okuyama, Inasa-chō, Hamana-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka |
| Status | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure); reg. no. 22-267 |
| Registered | 10 September 2019 |
| Units | 1 building |
| Structure | Single-story timber, tiled roof, 105 m²; gable-entry hip-and-gable pantile roof |
| Date | 1933 |
| Owner | Hōkō-ji (religious corporation) |
| Access | Within the precinct; check the official site for zazen experiences |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs National Cultural Properties Database — Hōkō-ji Zendō
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012917
- Hōkō-ji Head Temple — Official Site
- https://houkouji.or.jp/about/
- Rinnou.net — Rinzai & Ōbaku Zen: Hōkō-ji
- https://rinnou.net/head-temple/houkou/
- Shizuoka Tourism (Hello Navi) — Hōkō-ji Guide
- https://hellonavi.jp/article/hokoji
Last verified: 2026.07.07