Kompon Chudo at Enryakuji Temple
Heian period, 9th century
(Enryakuji Temple, Shiga Prefecture)

This is the third-largest wooden structure in Japan and has been designated a National Treasure. It is located within the precincts of the Enryakuji Temple, in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. The original structure, established by the monk Saicho at the end of the 8th century, was a small-scale Yakushido, or hall for the worship of the Healing Buddha Yakushi. However, in the 9th century this hall became flanked on either side by a hall for the worship of Monju (a bodhisattva of wisdom) and a sutra repository. The basic floor plan for the present-day Kompon Chudo came about when these three separate buildings were consolidated under a single roof. The building as it exists today was completed in 1640. Its architectural style is typical for the main hall of a temple of the Tendai sect, with an outer section floored with boards and an inner section whose floor is somewhat lower. The building is painted in several different colors and is surrounding by a covered corridor.

Photo 1: Kompon Chudo
Photo 2: Interior of Kompon Chudo