tōkondō 東金堂

Also originally called higashi butsuden'in 東仏殿院. A worship hall placed to the east of the pagoda *tō 塔 at early temples. One such worship hall at Kōfukuji 興福寺 in Nara is 7 x 4 bays, and has a hipped roof *yosemune yane 寄棟屋根. It was originally built along with a 5-storied pagoda *gojū-no-tō 五重塔 for Emperor Shōmu 聖武 (r. 724-749) as a hall for prayers said for the recovery of the retired Emperor Genshō 元正 (r. 715-724). The Kōfukuji Tōkondō was burned down in 1017, and four times after that date. It was always rebuilt. In 1939 it was dismantled and completely repaired. The tōkondō is similar in style and construction to the Tōshōdaiji *Kondō 唐招堤寺金堂, especially in its having an open veranda *hisashi 廂 across the entire front.