Japanese Temple Architecture in 60 Seconds
posted by John Spacey, June 23, 2014Japanese Buddhist architecture speaks for itself.
It reflects Japanese culture and the Buddhist religion all at once in its simple yet elegant structures.
The following reference is a guide to the major features you'll find at temples in Japan.
1. Sanmon
A Sanmon is a Zen Buddhist style of gate with a high sloping roof. The large ones have two stories, three entrances and five bays. Each of the three entrances represents a different path to enlightenment.
2. Pagoda
Pagoda are the skyscrapers of Japanese Buddhism. They were once the tallest buildings in the country.
Pagoda are used to store a temple's greatest possessions of art and scripture. They are tall enough to attract lightning. As a result, they were always burning down.
Most pagoda have a large metal spire on top. This is often mistaken as a lightning rod. These spires do function as lightning rods today. However, historically nobody knew to ground them. The lightning rod wasn't invented until 1749.
3. Hondo
The Hondo (main hall) is the building that holds the temple's sacred objects of worship such as art and scripture. In the very old days, these were held in a pagoda but this fell out of fashion in the 12th century.
It's common for monks to hold ceremonies in the main hall. You may find fascinating art and objects here.
The hondo is also known as the kondo, butsuden and butsudo. These are all much the same. Different Buddhist sects give the same architectural features different names.
4. Kodo
The Kodo (lecture hall) is a building designed to hold ceremonies. These are good places to find monks chanting.
5. Hojo
A Hojo is the head priests residence. These are usually in the background somewhere. The exception is when the founding priest of the temple was a important person. For example, if they were related to the Emperor.
It's not uncommon for a prince to found a temple. In such cases, the Hojo may be the biggest building in the temple. It's an opportunity to see how Japanese feudal elite lived.
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