The oldest hall, inside the outer gate
The Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku Hall (身延山久遠寺発軫閣, Hocchinkaku) is a hall of 1739 on a flight of stone steps set at right angles to the approach road, just inside the Somon outer gate of Minobusan Kuonji in Minobu, Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 2020/08/17.
Renovated in 1980, it is the oldest of the temple's registered buildings. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey timber hall with a copper roof and a footprint of 104 square metres, and describes it as the hall that stands at the entrance to the mountain precinct.
Flying spirits and carved dragons
The Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku has a hip-and-gable roof that turns its gable end to the front, where a porch roof projects. Wings extend to left and right at the front of the main body.
Inside, tatami-floored outer and inner sanctuaries are flanked by side rooms. The flat board ceiling of the inner sanctuary is painted with hiten, the flying celestial beings of Buddhist art, and dragons are carved in relief in the panels of the coffered ceiling over the outer sanctuary. The agency singles out this rich decoration.
What to look for, and visiting
To reach the Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku Hall, turn off the approach road and climb the steps. From the foot of the flight, the gable front, the porch and the projecting wings face you squarely.
The painted and carved ceilings are inside, and the temple website gives no information on opening the interior to the public. Kuonji does not allow photography inside its halls as a rule; outdoors it 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 Hocchinkaku Hall
- [ Mt. Fuji & Lake Kawaguchiko Day Tours ]
Q&A
- How do you read the name of the Hocchinkaku?
- It is read Hocchinkaku, "hot-chin-kah-ku"; the full name is Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku.
- Where is the Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku Hall?
- Just inside the Somon outer gate, on stone steps at right angles to the approach road.
- When was the Hocchinkaku built?
- In 1739; it was renovated in 1980.
- How is the interior of the Hocchinkaku decorated?
- Flying celestial beings are painted on the inner ceiling, and dragons are carved in relief in the coffers of the outer ceiling.
- When was the Hocchinkaku registered as a cultural property?
- On 2020/08/17.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Hocchinkaku Hall (身延山久遠寺発軫閣) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4007 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-0155 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2020/08/17 (Reiwa 2) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, copper roof; footprint 104 square metres |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewing (grounds free; no notice of interior opening) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Hocchinkaku Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013392
- 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
