Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins: The Provincial Temple of Hoki
The Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins (伯耆国分寺跡, Hoki Kokubunji Ato) are the remains of the Nara-period provincial temple of Hoki in Kokubunji and Kokufu, Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture, designated a national Historic Site in 1974.
Kurayoshi City's tourism guide says Hoki Kokubunji was one of the state temples that Emperor Shomu ordered built in every province in 741. The Agency for Cultural Affairs places it on a low hill on the west side of the Kurayoshi plain.
Why It Was Designated
The Agency says excavation found the main hall, lecture hall and other buildings toward the west of the precinct and the pagoda near its east corner, where wind bells and large quantities of roof tiles were recovered.
Earth banks and ditches had long survived on the west and north sides, and the excavation showed the precinct was planned as a square about 185 metres on a side, roughly one and a half cho. The provincial nunnery has also been identified just to the north.
Kurayoshi City's guide gives the precinct as about 2.9 hectares, 182 metres east to west and 160 metres north to south, listing the south gate, main hall, lecture hall and pagoda, figures that differ from the Agency's.
What to Look For at the Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins
Follow the earth banks and ditches on the west and north sides to sense the size of the precinct and picture the hall and pagoda within it.
The city notes the area is listed among Japan's 100 best historical parks and 100 beautiful historic landscapes.
Visiting
Kurayoshi City says the Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins are open to walk freely. Enquiries go to the city's cultural properties section on 0858-22-4419.
Q&A
- What are the Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins?
- The remains of the Nara-period provincial temple of Hoki in Kurayoshi, Tottori, designated a national Historic Site in 1974.
- What has been found at the Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins?
- The main hall, lecture hall and pagoda, with wind bells and many roof tiles from the pagoda site.
- How large was the precinct?
- The Agency gives about 185 metres square; Kurayoshi City gives 182 by 160 metres, about 2.9 hectares.
- Is there a nunnery site too?
- Yes, the provincial nunnery has been identified just to the north.
- Can I visit the Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins?
- Yes, they are open to walk freely.
Basic Information
| Name | Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins (伯耆国分寺跡) |
|---|---|
| Location | Kokubunji and Kokufu, Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture |
| Designation | Historic Site |
| Year Designated | Designated 1974/3/12 (Showa 49) |
| Quantity | 1 site |
| Dimensions | Precinct about 185 metres square (Agency for Cultural Affairs) |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Open to walk freely |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/2132
- Cultural Heritage Online: Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/139094
- Kurayoshi Tourism: Hoki Kokubunji Temple Ruins (Japanese)
- https://www.kurayoshi-kankou.jp/houkikokufuato/
Last verified: 2026.09.27