Issaikyozo Buddhist Scriptures Storehouse ｜ Cultural Properties ｜ Miidera Temple Cultural Property Museum ｜ The Head Temple of the Tendaijimon Buddhist Sect Miidera Temple

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This is the only Zen-style building in the Miidera Temple complex. It was originally the scripture storehouse of Kokushoji Temple (present-day Toshunji Temple), located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, but was moved to its present location by the warlord Mori Terumoto in 1602.
The combination of curved katomado windows and latticed, bow-shaped ramma transom windows on the exterior of the building, together with earthen floors and panel-lined ceilings on the interior, are characteristic of conventional Zen-style design.
An octagonal rotating shelf set in the central part of the building’s interior stores issaikyo Buddhist scriptures which include sutras and other Buddhist writings. This is an invaluable example of an old Zen-style sutra house of the Muromachi period (1336–1573); it is the only one of its kind with gables on each of the eight sides of the roof and pillars that stand in front of the drawers used to store lacquered sutra cases.

“Zen-style building”

An architectural style that was brought by Zen sect monks from China in the beginning of the Kamakura period. It is also called karayo.

“Toshunji Temple”

The temple of the Rinzai sect Kenninji branch located in Mizunoue, Yamaguchi City. This temple was transferred from Hagi to its current location in 1871. Until 1863, it used to be the location of Kokushoji Temple founded by Ouchi Moriharu (1377–1431), a provincial military lord at that time. In the precinct of Toshunji Temple, a cornerstone of the Issaikyozo Buddhist Scriptures Storehouse, which was relocated to Miidera Temple, still remains.

“Mori Terumoto”

Mori Terumoto (1553–1625) was a warlord of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. A grandson of Motonari and a son of Takamoto. First, he served Ashikaga Yoshiaki and opposed Oda Nobunaga. After the Honnoji Incident, he reconciled with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and became one of the Council of Five Elders (five powerful feudal lords). He was the general commander of the western force in the Battle of Sekigahara, and when he was defeated, his domains were reduced, leaving him only two provinces, Suo and Nagato.

“katomado”

It is a Zen style and is mostly used for sankarato paneled wooden doors and ramma transoms of a drawing room or study. It is also called hanaramma (hana means flower in Japanese), as floral patterns were applied to kumiko work (a delicate thin wooden work) on lattices. These kumiko works are called hanakumiko or hanako.

“latticed, bow-shaped ramma transom windows (yumiramma)”

A ramma transom that thin arch-shaped boards are closely lined-up. Also called namiramma.

“panel-lined ceilings (kagami-tenjo)”

Panel-lined flat ceilings that were used for Zen style architecture.

“rotating shelf set (rinzo)”

A pivot with eight-sided shelves for sutra scrolls is set in the middle of the hall so that it rotates easily. Issaikyo Buddhist scriptures are stored there. It was reportedly invented by Fu Ta-shih in the Northern and Southern dynasties in China. Also called Tenrinzo.

“issaikyo”

The general term for the Buddhist scriptures including three main categories of texts (the Sutta Pitaka, the Vinaya Pitaka, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka) and commentaries.

“lacquered sutra cases”

“gables (hafu)”

Generally, a triangle bargeboard that is located on the side of gable roofs where both sides of the roofs meet.

−: Muromachi Period