Shinshū Ōtani-ha Hakodate Betsuin, Buddhist temple in Hakodate, Japan
Shinshū Ōtani-ha Hakodate Betsuin is a Buddhist temple in Hakodate, Japan, built from reinforced concrete in a modern Japanese architectural style. The complex consists of a main hall and a bell tower that together form the core of the site.
The temple was founded in 1641 and completely rebuilt in 1907 after a major fire destroyed the original structure. The reconstruction was the first time reinforced concrete was used as the main building material for a temple in Japan.
The temple is an active gathering place for followers of Shin Buddhism in Hakodate, where ceremonies take place on a regular basis. Visitors can observe how the space is used as a spiritual center woven into daily life.
The temple is easy to reach on foot and sits close to other historic sites in the Motomachi neighborhood of Hakodate. A visit fits naturally into a walk through that part of the city.
Architect Ito Heizaemon designed the building to carry traditional Buddhist forms while using a material that was new to temple construction at the time. The result shows how a Meiji-era craftsman translated familiar shapes into concrete without abandoning them.
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