A Fudo Hall Moved Down the Hill in 1342
The Kongoji Temple Fudo Hall (金剛寺不動堂) is the Fudo hall of Takahata Fudoson of 1342 in Takahata, Hino City, Tokyo, and was designated an Important Cultural Property on November 29, 1946 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records five bays square, single-storey, with a hip-and-gable roof of copper sheet in the form of thatch and a one-bay porch, designated together with the halo of the Fudo Myoo statue, three ridge tablets and a fund-raising scroll; designation number 01551.
The 1946 date in the Agency record is that of its designation under the former law.
A Hall Moved from the Hillside to Its Foot
The Kongoji Temple Fudo Hall is the hall of Fudo Myoo at Takahata Fudoson, the Kongoji of the Chisan school of Shingon Buddhism, counted among the three great Fudo temples of the Kanto region (Kongoji). The Agency records a hall five bays square with a hip-and-gable roof of copper sheet in the form of thatch and a one-bay porch.
According to the temple, it began when the monk Ennin built a Fudo hall on the hillside in the early Heian period. After a gale on the night of August 4, 1335 brought down the hillside halls, the resident monk Gikai rebuilt it at the foot of the hill in 1342, and that is the present hall. The temple describes it as the oldest cultural property building in Tokyo.
Why It Is an Important Cultural Property
The Agency record has no commentary; the structure and date set out what was designated. It is a hall of 1342, designated with the halo of the Fudo Myoo statue, three ridge tablets and a fund-raising scroll (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
What to Look For
Look for the hip-and-gable roof of copper sheet shaped like thatch over the five-bay hall, and the porch at the front (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Kongoji Temple (Agency for Cultural Affairs). According to the temple, it is a 5-minute walk from Takahatafudo Station on the Keio Line and the Tama Monorail. No official information on visiting hours for the grounds was found. The gate and the Fudo Hall are introduced together on the Kongoji Temple (Takahata Fudoson) page.
Q&A
- When was the Fudo Hall built?
- In 1342 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why was it moved to the foot of the hill?
- A gale in 1335 brought down the hillside halls (Kongoji).
- What else is designated with it?
- A statue halo, three ridge tablets and a fund-raising scroll.
- What is the nearest station?
- Takahatafudo Station, a 5-minute walk.
- When was the Kongoji Temple Fudo Hall designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On November 29, 1946 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Kongoji Temple Fudo Hall (金剛寺不動堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | Takahata, Hino City, Tokyo |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Designated 1946/11/29 (Showa 21) |
| Quantity | 1 building (with a statue halo, 3 ridge tablets and 1 scroll) |
| Dimensions | Five bays square, single-storey, hip-and-gable, one-bay porch, copper roof in thatch form |
| Owner | Kongoji Temple |
| Public Access | 5 minutes on foot from Takahatafudo Station (Kongoji) |
References
- Kongoji Temple Fudo Hall (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/102/570
- Temple Grounds (Takahata Fudoson Kongoji)
- https://www.takahatafudoson.or.jp/?page_id=13
- History (Takahata Fudoson Kongoji)
- https://www.takahatafudoson.or.jp/?page_id=4681
Last verified: 2026.10.23
