What Is Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors (高野山霊宝館南廊及西廊) is an L-shaped gallery built in 1920 that links the Shiunden hall and the Hōkōkaku pavilion at Koyasan Reihokan Museum in Koya Town, Wakayama Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 1998.
It leaves the west side of the Shiunden, turns a right angle at the southwest corner, and joins the south side of the Hōkōkaku. The stretch before the turn is the South Corridor and the stretch after it the West Corridor. The span is 21 shaku, about 6.4 meters. The building is single-storey timber with a sheet-iron roof and a building area of 203 square meters.
A small tower with a pyramidal roof rises over the corner. This is also the only one of the five registered buildings roofed in sheet iron.
Why Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors Was Registered
Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors was registered as a building that has become a model of form, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs points to the corner tower. A long, low corridor on its own would look flat beside the Shiunden and the Hōkōkaku at either end; lifting a pyramidal tower at the turn balances the masses of the whole group.
The corridors were planned as galleries as much as passages. At the time of registration the South Corridor showed old documents and decorative arts, the corner tower held objects connected with Kōbō Daishi, and the West Corridor displayed Buddhist sculpture. A span of 21 shaku is the width of a room with cases along both walls, not of a simple walkway.
The Central and North Corridors connect the Shiunden and the Hōkōkaku to the entrance. By joining those two buildings at the back, this corridor closes the museum into a complete loop.
Highlights of Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors
On the museum's route you leave the Hōkōkaku into the West Corridor, pass under the corner tower and follow the South Corridor to the Shiunden. Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors is the longest stretch of gallery you walk through.
The standing-display list puts a Heian-period seated Amida in the West Corridor, along with Edo-period figures of Bato Kannon and Kokuzo Bosatsu. The corner, which the museum calls the corner gallery, holds Heian-period statues of Fudo Myoo and Bishamonten from the Senju-in Kannon-do and a Kamakura-period seated Amida from the Daie-do.
The corner section sits directly under the pyramidal roof you see from outside. At registration it was set aside for objects linked to Kōbō Daishi, and it still works as a separate part of the display. Exhibits may change without notice.
Visiting Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors
Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors is part of the museum galleries, open during museum hours and covered by the admission ticket. Photography (phones included) and sketching are not permitted.
The old buildings are unheated and the long corridors get cold in winter. Opening hours, fees and directions are on the Koyasan Reihokan Museum page.
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Q&A
- What is Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
- An L-shaped gallery that runs from the west side of the Shiunden, turns at the southwest corner and joins the south side of the Hōkōkaku. It was built in 1920 and registered in 1998.
- Why is there a tower at the corner of Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
- The pyramidal-roofed corner tower adds height to the long, low corridor and balances it against the Shiunden and the Hōkōkaku, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- How wide is Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
- The span is 21 shaku, about 6.4 meters, wide enough to serve as a gallery rather than a passage. The building area is 203 square meters.
- What can I see in Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
- The standing-display list includes a Heian-period seated Amida in the West Corridor and statues of Fudo Myoo, Bishamonten and a Kamakura-period Amida in the corner gallery. Displays change from time to time.
- Can I take photos in Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors?
- No. Photography and sketching are prohibited throughout the museum galleries.
Basic Information
| Name | Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors |
|---|---|
| Location | 306 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun, Wakayama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) |
| Year Designated | Registered on September 2, 1998 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Building area 203 m² (single-storey timber, sheet-iron roof; span 21 shaku) |
| Owner | Koyasan Cultural Properties Preservation Society (public interest incorporated foundation) |
| Public Access | Open as a museum gallery (admission charged; no photography inside) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000805
- Cultural Heritage Online: Koyasan Reihokan South and West Corridors (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/147415
- Koyasan Reihokan Museum: Standing Display List (Japanese)
- https://reihokan.or.jp/pages/158/
- Koyasan Reihokan Museum: Visitor Information (Japanese)
- https://reihokan.or.jp/riyo/
Last verified: 2026.10.07
