Yakushi dou （The Buddha Hall）

An important cultural asset (designated April 15,1903)

The Buddha hall was built and first used as the assembly hall of Shojoji's original temple complex. The structure itself is wooden, measuring 5 ken by 5 ken (9), and constructed in the traditional Japanese structural style of yosemunetukuri, with a copperplate roof. To this traditional Japanese structural style, however, unique stylistic and proportional modifications resembling traditional Chinese temple construction were added to create an air of solemnity making it rather unique. By the methods used in the hall's structure and details it appears that this building was reconstructed in 1398.

The layout of the Buddha hall is very simple, divided into an inner chamber and a surrounding hall. The inner chamber measures three square ken (5.4), at the very center of which the Yakushinyorai Buddha image sits upon an altar enshrined in a feretory (zushi ) which is opened only twice a year. The altar and the feretory were constructed at the time the building was reconstructed. The encompassing hall measures two ken (3.6m) in width.

Yakushi Dou

• Outline of Shojoji

• Yakushi dou

• Yakushi nyorai

• Nikkou bosatsu Gakkou bosatsu