A raised hall behind the main temple area
The Minobusan Kuonji Honjido Hall (身延山久遠寺本地堂, Honjidō) is a small raised hall of 1852 facing south behind the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2018/05/10.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber building with a copper roof and a footprint of 16 square metres, renovated in 2012. It is one of the few registered buildings at the temple that go back to the Edo period.
Brackets below and above
The Minobusan Kuonji Honjido is square in plan and built in the tower-like ro-zukuri form, its veranda lifted high off the ground. Top-hinged lattice shutters fill the centre of the front, and sliding lattice doors the centre of each side.
Three-stepped bracket sets carry the veranda and its railing with onion-shaped finials. The eaves repeat the scheme with tail rafters added, holding out deep eaves of double rafters. That is a great deal of carpentry for so small a building.
The pyramidal roof ends at its apex in a hoju, the sacred jewel finial of Buddhist architecture. The agency praises the balanced proportions and the richness of the detail.
What to look for, and visiting
From the south, the front of the Minobusan Kuonji Honjido Hall reads as a symmetrical composition around its central shutters. Compare the bracket sets under the veranda with those under the eaves.
The temple website does not mention any public opening of the interior. Photography outdoors is unrestricted. Hours and directions for the temple are on the Minobusan Kuonji page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamanashi
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Minobusan Kuonji Honjido Hall
- [ Mt. Fuji & Lake Kawaguchiko Day Tours ]
Q&A
- Where is the Minobusan Kuonji Honjido Hall?
- Behind the main temple area of Minobusan Kuonji, facing south.
- When was the Honjido built?
- In 1852; it was renovated in 2012.
- What is the roof of the Honjido like?
- A pyramidal copper roof crowned with a jewel finial.
- What is unusual about the brackets of the Honjido?
- Three-stepped bracket sets appear twice, under the veranda and again under the eaves.
- When was the Honjido registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Honjido Hall (身延山久遠寺本地堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3567 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, copper roof; footprint 16 square metres |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior only (grounds free; outdoor photography allowed) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Honjido Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012353
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — Guide to the grounds (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/precincts/
- Minobusan Kuonji official site — FAQ (Japanese)
- https://www.kuonji.jp/faq/
Last verified: 2026.10.01
