Kangiin Honbo Hall

Completed in 1197, the Kangiin Honbo Hall at Menuma Shodenzan Temple has served as the head priest's residence for over eight centuries. The building's carved decorations are worth a slow look: under the front gable, a hermit rides a mythical phoenix-like bird, likely Baifuku, a Daoist immortal said to have drunk the elixir of immortality. Below that scene, a carving shows a child smashing a jar to free a trapped friend, an allegory from ancient China about valuing human life over possessions. The Honbo is the starting point for processions during the temple's annual spring and fall festivals.