Kodo, Lecture Hall Remains of Motsuji Temple
The Motsuji Temple Lecture Hall (Kodo) that once stood at this location enshrined an image of Dainichi Nyorai (Vairocana), the Supreme Buddha of the Cosmos.
In addition to functioning as a forum for Buddhist lectures, this hall was used for important rituals, including the rites performed when monks first enter the priesthood or reach a higher rank. Use of the hall for these sacred rituals suggests that Motsuji Temple occupied a position of prestige among Buddhist temples in the Tohoku region.
The pillars supporting the front eaves of the Lecture Hall appear to align perfectly with those in the northern wall of the Kondo Enryuji, suggesting the two may have once formed parts of a larger, conjoined structure.
Although the Lecture Hall was lost to fire in 1573, the original foundation stones remain visible in the ground at this location.