Kozanji Temple Buddha Hall

JAPAN, Yamaguchi, Shimonoseki

Kozanji means Merit Mountain Temple. The temple belongs to the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. It was established as Kinzan Chofukuji Temple in 1320 during the Kamakura period by Kyoan Genjyaku, a spiritual descendent of Enni Ben’en. It experienced a period of degeneration and was revitalized by Mori Hidemoto in 1652 during the Edo period (1603–1868), when it was renamed Kozanji. It was listed as a National Treasure in 1953.
The principal buildings include the temple gate, Buddha Hall, main hall, kitchen, and study room. The three-by-three bay Buddha Hall has a double-eave hip-and-gable roof covered in cypress bark. The eaves curve upwards at the corners and are supported by three-tier bracket sets and rafters. A statue of a seated Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara is enshrined within the hall. The floor of the interior is made of brick. There is a plafond in the center of the ceiling, along with flying rafters. The hall is spacious and expresses a simple Zen style.