A big hall south of the guest hall
The Minobusan Kuonji Hokido Hall (身延山久遠寺法喜堂, Hōkidō) is a hall of 1883 facing west, south of the Great Guest Hall, at 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 the Minobusan Kuonji Hokido Hall as a single-storey timber building with a copper roof and a footprint of 625 square metres, renovated in 1971 and 2011. Neither the agency nor the temple website says what the hall is used for.
Giant timbers over an earthen floor
It is a large building, 10 bays by 9 bays, with a hip-and-gable roof that turns its triangular gable end to the front.
The strongest part of the interior is the earth-floored area on the entrance side. A massive daikokubashira, the main pillar of a traditional building, and beams cut from huge trees leave the heavy framing in full view.
Outside, cusped katomado windows run in rows on both sides of the doorway, and in the gable a series of vase-shaped struts stands between double tie beams. The agency reads modern touches in these details within an otherwise stately composition.
What to look for, and visiting
The temple website gives no information on whether the interior of the Minobusan Kuonji Hokido Hall, including its earth-floored framing, is open to the public. Photography indoors is not allowed as a rule; outdoors it is free.
Stand before the west front and work through the details: the double tie beams and row of struts in the gable, then the windows lined up beside the door. Compare it with the Great Guest Hall to the north, which presents its long side to the front while the Hokido presents its gable end. Hours and directions for the temple are on the Minobusan Kuonji page.
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Q&A
- How do you read the name of the Minobusan Kuonji Hokido Hall?
- Hōkidō, "ho-ki-do"; the full reading is Minobusan Kuonji Hōkidō.
- Where is the Hokido?
- South of the Great Guest Hall in the main temple area, facing west.
- When was the Hokido built?
- In 1883; it was renovated in 1971 and 2011.
- What is special about the interior of the Hokido?
- The earth-floored area at the front shows a massive main pillar and beams of huge timbers.
- When was the Hokido registered as a cultural property?
- On 2018/05/10.
Basic Information
| Name | Minobusan Kuonji Hokido Hall (身延山久遠寺法喜堂) |
|---|---|
| Location | 4252 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure); registration number 19-121 |
| Year Designated | Registered 2018/05/10 (Heisei 30) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, copper roof; footprint 625 square metres; 10 bays by 9 bays |
| Owner | Minobusan Kuonji (religious corporation) |
| Public Access | Exterior viewing (no published opening of the interior; no photography inside) |
References
- Database of National Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) — Hokido Hall
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00012345
- 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
